South Portland residents overwhelmingly rejected an $88.6 million bond to build new police and fire stations Tuesday, with 63% of voters casting their ballots against the proposed measure.
Of this bond, $44.35 million would have funded a new police station on the former Walgreens lot at Cash Corner, while the remaining $44.25 million would have gone toward a new fire station on the current building's property.
The City purchased the Cash Corner property earlier this year for $2.5 million, using a combination of Police Asset Forfeiture funds and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds, both previously earmarked for city facilities.
[RELATED: South Portland Residents to Vote on $87 Million Bond for New Fire and Police Stations This November]
A total of 5,002 ballots were cast in support of the bond, while 8,658 residents voted against it, translating to a roughly 3-to-2 margin of defeat.
According to the City, the existing police and fire stations are "aging buildings that do not meet today's public safety, accessibility, or operational standards."
"Renovations to solve pressing problems at these facilities would trigger tens of millions of dollars in upgrades to bring the old buildings up to Maine's current building and energy codes. Even after the costly renovations, many of the underlying problems would remain," the City said.
Opponents of the bond, on the other hand, had argued that the project was too costly and would place too much of a burden on South Portland taxpayers.
For example, one resident wrote in an op-ed published by the Portland Press Herald that "in these worst of economic times, it is simply too much."
At an August 4 meeting, Councilor Natalie West explained her opposition to the bond. "I believe this is too much of a burden to put on our taxpayers at one time," she said.
It is not yet clear how the City plans to move forward with respect to the proposed construction projects following the bond’s rejection Tuesday.
Click Here to Read the City of South Portland’s Full Election Results
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