The $28.9M OOB town budget
Where OOB's annual operating dollars come from and where they go. Excludes the RSU 23 school budget.
Total operating budget
The town operating budget is approximately $28.9M. This figure is the municipal side only and excludes the RSU 23 school budget, which is voted separately and adds materially to the total tax bill. The county assessment is also separate.
Revenue sources
- Property taxes. The largest single source by a wide margin. Levied on the certified assessed value of every taxable parcel.
- State revenue sharing. Maine returns a portion of sales and income tax to municipalities by formula.
- License and permit fees. Building permits, business licenses, rental licenses, and similar.
- Lodging tax allocations. A share of state lodging tax flows back to host communities like OOB.
- Beach parking and meters. Seasonal parking revenue at municipal lots and metered zones.
Major spending categories
- Public safety, including Police, Fire, and Emergency Management.
- Public works, including roads, plowing, parks, and trash and recycling.
- Recreation and the Ballpark facility.
- General government, including Town Manager, Town Clerk, Finance, Assessing, and Code Enforcement.
- Debt service on prior bonded capital projects.
- Capital improvements, including dune restoration, paving, and equipment replacement.
Adoption cycle
The Town Manager and Finance Department prepare a draft starting in early winter. Council holds budget workshops with each department head from March through May. A formal public hearing follows, then the council votes to adopt in June for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Staffing on the payroll
The town carries roughly 100 full-time and 100 seasonal employees. Seasonal positions concentrate in beach lifeguards, parking enforcement, public works summer crews, and recreation programming.
Where to find the actual budget document
The adopted budget, draft documents, and the annual independent audit are posted on the Finance Department page at oobmaine.com/department/finance. Workshop packets with line-item detail are in the corresponding council meeting packets at oobmaine.com/minutes-meetings.
Tax mil rate context
The mil rate you pay is a function of the total levy divided by the total certified assessed value of the town, adjusted by the certified assessment ratio. A higher overall budget does not always mean a higher mil rate if total town valuation has grown faster than spending. See our property taxes page for the current FY2026 rate and the math.
Compiled from Town of Old Orchard Beach, RSU 23, FEMA, Maine Revenue Service, US Census, MLS, and field interviews. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed; verify before any transaction.