AUBURN — The City Council approved next year’s $128.4 million budget Monday with a 6-1 vote. Councilor Belinda Gerry provided the lone vote in opposition.

The budget includes $60.6 million in municipal spending, $64.4 million for schools and $3.3 million for Androscoggin County.

The school budget validation referendum is scheduled for June 10.

If approved as is, the property tax rate would increase by $1.01, to $23.26 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, with the municipal budget accounting for 84 cents of the increase.

While several people spoke out against specific pieces of the budget proposal during a first reading earlier this month — particularly a recreation department position that worked on senior programming — no one from the public spoke Monday.

Councilors also did not comment Monday.

Officials have said the fiscal 2026 budget has been a difficult one, with a 22% increase in debt service for large infrastructure projects such as the new public safety building.

Next year’s budget includes the first debt payments for the $45 million public safety building project, which was approved by voters in 2023.

Also on Monday the council approved roughly $11.7 million in bonds for its Capital Improvement Plan. The projects include matching funds for Maine Department of Transportation work, road resurfacing, $500,000 for the citywide property revaluation, and $3.7 million for the new Engine 2 fire station.