Council still has another work session and a public hearing before it’ll take its budget to a vote, but the main takeaway from this year’s budget is some belt-tightening to keep taxes relatively low.
The plan for next year is a $306 million budget. With the recent property reassessment, properties are up 53% in value across the city. With that, the proposed tax rate is down 14 cents from 42.25 cents to 28.25 cents — which is 1/10th of a cent higher than net neutral.
That means residents’ tax bills will go up slightly, just a $28 annual increase for the median home in the city.
The city plans to make some substantial cuts — about 14 unfilled positions will scrapped completely, and programs like park concessions and the mounted police program are on the chopping block.
Those cuts leave room for the city to invest in its staffing, with $8.3 million dedicated to adjusting pay scales, raising the city’s minimum wage above $17 an hour, and reducing health premiums.
Budget Director Laura Mortell says the new budget creates a new position: an assistant city clerk to "manage the rising volume of public information requests, as well as the work associated with boards, committees, and commissions." As previously reported by WHQR, in past years it was the city clerk's policy that no city department, including the communication department, may release documents to the public without going through the Clerk’s office, which may add to the strain (other local governments do not have as strict a policy).
The city’s finance team is still shuffling around debt obligations and revenue to pay for the Skyline Center, by selling off surplus land, pulling funding from the parking fund, and de-obligating funding for the rail realignment project.
The public hearing for the budget takes place Tuesday, May 20, at 6:30 pm.
