City Manager Bryan Bradford recently presented the proposed 2017-18 budget to the mayor and city council. Revenues have increased and this year’s budget will allow the city to address needs that had been left unfulfilled because of the recession.
In a letter presented to the city council with the budget, Bradford reported a 5.9 percent ($9.3 million) increase in general fund revenues and a 9.7 percent ($1.2 billion) increase in the property tax base. New construction has also increased. Other sources that are expected to increase are sales tax and the Hinton Landfill revenues.
Public safety staffing needs, street improvements, needs in core service areas (parks, libraries, animal services, transportation safety), funds to maintain retiree health insurance and an employee salary increase that will maintain compensation at market levels.
The proposed budget does not require a tax increase and is based on 70.46 cents per $100 of valuation. There will be an increase of 35 cents per month in stormwater and water rates for average residents. Additionally, an increase of $6.86 for water usage. No increases are expected for other services.
The total proposed budget is $720.5 million, which is a 5.8 percent increase over last year’s approved budget.
Funding will come from utility fees (60.4 percent), taxes (19.2 percent), franchise fees (1.2 percent), intergovernmental (2.6), intragovernmental (7.3 percent), fines, fees and charges (7.8 percent) and interest and miscellaneous (1.5). Expenditures include personnel, GP&L fuel & demand, support services/other transfers, transfers to CIP, operations/capital, water purchases and debt.
Staff members from each of the city departments have made presentations to the mayor and city council outlining what their budgetary requirements for 2017-18 will be. City council deliberations can continue through the last work session before the vote to adopt the budget at the Sept. 5 council meeting.