Salina city commissioners Monday took a look at a 2019 budget that could include a property tax increase of up to nearly 3 mills, fee increases of 2 to 3 percent and raises for city employees of between 2 and 5 percent.
The final budget will be set in August.
As a working proposition, the commission consensus was to consider increasing the city’s property tax levy to 29 mills, from 26.129 mills. Property tax valuations are usually stagnant in a strong economy, Gage said. Sales tax collections, which the city also uses to fund projects, typically increase 1.5 percent to 2 percent a year. Most city fee increases are projected to increase 2 percent to 3 percent, he said. Some won’t change and some, such as building permit fees and planning fees, will increase more.
Water and wastewater utility fees will be set in the fall, he said, because the city will have a better idea then of summer usage. Landfill tipping fees are expected to increase.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)