PENOBSCOT COUNTY — On Tuesday, the Brewer City Council sent a letter to the Penobscot County Commission expressing concern over the rapid growth of the county’s budget.

The letter, signed by the mayor and city council, reads in part, “Over the last decade, Penobscot County’s budget has grown by 88 percent, and this does not include the jail budget, which grew at an even faster 93 percent pace.”

Mayor Michele Labree Daniels said the county’s rate of spending is simply not sustainable.

“You have to tighten your belt. You have to really buckle down and figure out how this is working because the cities and towns can’t keep putting this out constantly. We can’t keep upping our taxes because your budget is off,” Daniels said.

Daniels pointed to the aging Penobscot County Jail as a major d

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