Politics & Government

Mayor Satisfied with Proposed FY13 Budget

Westminster's mayor and Common Council presented the FY2013 budget at a public hearing Monday evening.

Westminster Mayor Kevin Utz said there were some hard decisions made, but in the end he's satisfied with the budget.

Westminster's mayor and Common Council held a public hearing at John Street Quarters Monday evening to present and get public feedback on the proposed fiscal year 2013 budget.

The city's Director of Finance and Administrative Services, Gary Ehlers, presented the budget, explaining revenues and expenditures in some detail.

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Budget Highlights:

  • Real property tax revenue is approximately 14 percent lower than last year and the council is considering a 1-cent reduction in the capital tax. As a result, there is a 14.5 percent (approximately $1.5 million) reduction in revenue for the city in FY13.
  • To account for the revenue shortfall, the city made $1.7 million in cuts from the general fund budget, primarily through reductions in all departments Ehlers said.
  • Forty percent of the city's general fund covers public safety costs and 32 percent covers public works costs.
  • Sewer rates and water rates will remain the same in FY13. 
  • The Public Safety budget is slightly higher this year (about $300,000) because the city is funding a digital radio replacement project. 

Westminster resident Lori Graham told the council members following the budget presentation that although she appreciates the gesture of reducing the capital tax by 1-cent, that they should just keep the money and move it to the general fund.

Find out what's happening in Westminsterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It's hard for me to say as a taxpayer but I would encourage you to not give it back because sooner or later it will be taken away from us again," Graham said.

Westminster resident Tom Smith told the council he wants them to re-work the budget to give residents more relief.

"Since the 2007-08 tax year, property tax went up an average of 200 percent," Smith said. "No one’s income went up that much. A 1-cent rebate is not a gesture, it’s a slap. Nobody gives a penny back."

"Our homes are not piggy banks. The reduction in your tax revenue is ... in part because of the excessive property tax levied on citizens and businesses," Smith said.

The tax rate will be set and the budget approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the mayor and common council, on Monday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The budget presentation is available on the city's website.

 


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