AUBURN — A raft of joint service cuts could go back into Auburn’s budget Monday night, along with a proposal to hire a permanent municipal attorney.

“These proposals are based on building a budget based on meeting the needs of the city and making smart investments rather than meeting an arbitrary budget benchmark,” Councilor Grady Burns said Saturday. Burns is sponsoring six amendments to the city’s budget, amounting to $613,340 in spending.

Councilors are scheduled to settle their 2016-17 fiscal year budget Monday night. With a $39.2 million proposed city spending plan combined with the $40.7 million school budget voters approved last week, councilors are poised to adopt a budget that would increase property taxes about 2.76 percent — about $59 more for a $100,000 home when compared to the current year, or about $88 more for a $150,000 home.

A workshop on the budget begins at 5:30 p.m. in Auburn Hall. The regular meeting, including the budget vote, begins at 7 p.m.

But councilors first must review a list of budget amendments that could add $825,157 to the budget, first presented in April by City Manager Howard Kroll.

“My budget is just a recommendation,” Kroll said. “There is nothing that stops councilors from amending it, up or down. And I’ve encouraged the councilors to think like that.”

Of that $825,157, $211,610 would come out of the city’s Tax Increment Finance accounts and wouldn’t change the property tax rate.

About $613,547 would come out of the city’s general fund — all of it from property taxes. That would increase taxes by $89 for a $100,000 home compared to the current year. For a $150,000 home, it would mean a $134 increase on the tax bill.

Burns is proposing to add back much of the money Kroll trimmed out of the budget when it was first presented in April. He’s proposed amendments that would fully fund the Lewiston-Auburn Transit Committee, the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, Auburn Public Library and the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council.

“To me, these are key investments that would show an immediate return on investment or provide a long-term benefit in terms of growing our tax base and having a more vibrant city,” Burns said.

He’d also fully fund Lewiston-Auburn 911. The current budget reduces Auburn’s share of the funding from $1.07 million to $855,298. Burns would also restore $120,271 to the Fire Department.

“This is ensuring that we fulfill our basic obligation to our citizens, that we have a fully functioning fire department and a 911 service that is also fully functional,” Burns said.

Councilor James Pross is recommending fewer budget amendments, $206,817 in all. Two would create new positions: a full-time City Solicitor to act as a legal representative and a full-time grant administrator for the Economic and Community Development Department.

Pross said he envisions a full-time attorney in Auburn Hall ready to help the city manager and department heads. The city currently hires attorneys as it needs them.

“I want somebody that (Public Services Director) Dan Goyette can turn to any time or that Howard can go to and have him take a quick look at something,” Pross said. “If we stop sending questions like that out to outside firms all the time, I think we can save money,” Pross said. “I also think it would also improve our functioning on a day-to-day basis.”

Kroll said he can get behind both additions. Auburn currently must hire attorneys to review legal matters as they come up.

“I think it could be an advantage to have somebody on staff readily available to answer staff and elected officials’ questions,” Kroll said. “He could also serve as our representative to the Board of Assessment Review and the Planning Board and City Council. When they are making decisions, this person could remind them to stay in compliance with ordinances, the City Charter and state law.”

Pross is also recommending to spend $20,000 in TIF money in New Auburn to slow down traffic there. Both Burns and Pross are backing Councilor Leroy Walker’s effort to spend $5,000 in TIF money to create a farmers’ market in New Auburn.

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