BRUNSWICK — On Tuesday, the Brunswick City Council will consider Mayor Karin Tome’s proposed $4.5 million budget, which includes double the spending for economic development and no tax-rate increase.

In the proposed fiscal 2017 general fund budget, Tome included, in the economic development department budget, $75,000 for a business loan program and $18,000 for Brunswick Main Street. The proposed $252,500 for economic development is more than double this year’s $121,200.

The rest of the increase for economic development comes from $36,600 in facade improvement grants, paid for by the Department of Housing and Community Development Community Legacy program.

The loan program is a strategy the council is considering to get vacant downtown properties filled. Financing has been cited as one of the obstacles hindering prospective businesses, said Bob McGrory, the city administrator.

“There’s a perceived need for some opportunity for capital financing,” he said.

If the program stays in the budget, loan eligibility, caps and payback terms would have to be set, he said.

Although Tome’s proposed city budget is 6.5 percent higher overall than this year’s $4.2 million plan, it proposes a drop in the tax rate from 46.2 to 44 cents per $100 of assessed value. Even with the lower tax rate, though, individual property owners may have to pay more, depending on their assessments.

A combination of increased income tax revenue, higher property assessments and new construction are expected to generate $221,300 more in tax revenue than this year, McGrory said.

Filling a vacant spot on the police force and adding an officer and a narcotics detection dog are part of a proposed 15 percent increase in the police department budget. In Tome’s draft, with 14 officers, a 2.5 percent step pay increase, and a dog, police costs will go up about $170,000.

The council will discuss next year’s budget at Tuesday’s meeting and is expected to adopt it June 7.

Follow Patti Borda Mullins on Twitter: @FNP_Patti.  May 9, 2016