New police and fire station will be on South Portland’s ballot
South Portland Central Fire Station at 684 Broadway.
South Portland voters will decide in November if they want a new police and fire station for a price tag of $88.6 million.
If approved, the proposed bond would provide up to $44.35 million for a new police station to be built on the vacant Walgreens parcel at Cash Corner that the city acquired this year. It would also allocate $44.25 million for a new central fire station to be built on the footprint of the existing central police and fire station.
The city plans to issue the bonds in two phases, starting with the construction of the police station and then the fire station. The bonds would not be issued unless the referendum question is approved by voters.
A median-priced single-family home valued at $514,000 would expect to pay an additional $255 in property taxes for fiscal year 2028. When the second phase is financed, property taxes for that household would increase an additional $244, making the total estimated tax impact about $500 for fiscal year 2030, according to the city’s calculator. The average annual tax impact for the duration of the bond — from fiscal year 2028 through 2059 — would be about $345, or $28 per month.
South Portland residents are already paying down the debt from previously approved projects. The median-priced single-family home has $389 of existing debt for fiscal year 2028, and in fiscal year 2030 — what Town Manager Scott Morelli referred to as “the peak” — the median-price home would already be paying $369 in taxes from existing debt. The public safety bond would bring that number just shy of $900.
Residents can search what their initial, peak and average tax impact would be.
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Many South Portland residents who were already on a tight budget say they are feeling increasingly pinched by the reality of rising costs, some of which are associated with overdue municipal infrastructure updates.
The average resident’s monthly sewer bill is estimated to increase by $9.30 in fiscal year 2027, $11.72 in 2028 and $14.76 in 2029 to fund a new pump station and other wastewater infrastructure improvements as well as the typical operating increases, according to a presentation in March.
At a recent workshop, the council also discussed instituting a pay-as-you-throw waste disposal system, which would increase the average cost for household waste from approximately $160 a year to $209 — $133 for bags and $76 in property taxes. If the city adds curbside compost, that number could jump to $219 — $116 for bags and $103 in taxes.
Some don’t feel like they can afford what’s on the horizon.
“It’s all coming at the same time,” Morelli said.
Many City Council members recognize that these infrastructure improvements would be a major undertaking for residents, but they also say it’s long overdue.
The police station, built in 1967, and the fire station, built in 1955, do not meet current codes and have significant mechanical, electrical and plumbing issues. The HVAC systems are past their lifespan, and the evidence room and emergency operation center in the basement regularly flood.
Police Chief Dan Ahern and Fire Chief Phil Selberg have both said the current stations don’t meet modern public safety needs and standards, and their departments are in desperate need of new homes.
“I think it’s time we let the voters decide,” Councilor Jessica Walker said.
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Tagged: infrastructure, South Portland City Council, south portland police department
Dana Richie is a community reporter covering South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Originally from Atlanta, she fell in love with the landscape and quirks of coastal New England while completing her undergraduate. More by Dana Richie
