McMinnville officials set preliminary budget at $20M
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City leaders meeting at Rock Island State Park in a six-hour session of the Finance Committee Sunday said Monday they do not foresee a tax increase at this time.
However, they mentioned state-shared taxes, threatened to be withheld from local governments for years but which have been talked about more seriously this year due to the state’s budget shortfall, would significantly impact the city.
“We’re waiting on what the state is going to do before we pass our budget,” Vice Mayor and Finance Committee Chairman Billy Wood said. “It would irresponsible and we have time.”
Wood said he did not expect a tax increase based on current proposals. The way the budget currently stands, the city’s reserve fund, which starts out at about $2.3 million June 30, will be drawn to about $1.3 million at the end of fiscal year 2002-2003 if everything is spent as preliminarily planned.
As it currently stands, the budget includes about $8.6 million budgeted from the general fund, which is where the majority of state-shared taxes would come into play, and other restricted or special funds. The general fund is what pays for the budget needs of the city’s various departments.
Those restricted or fee service funds include about $119,000 budgeted for the drug fund, $18,400 for the insurance fund, $657,000 for debt service, a borrowed $3.8 million for Main Street revitalization and a new fire truck, a borrowed $2 million capital outlay note for the city pool, $1.1 million for solid waste collection and disposal, $352,000 for street aid (state shared), and $3.9 million for water and waste water.
New this year are proposals to fund the Main Street phase one project, which has been voted on and passed in committee but not by the full board, the fire truck, the outdoor pool, new police cars, a new city planner, office changes at city hall, a modern weather warning siren system, restrooms for the Jungle Jym and a pared-down approval for pool equipment at the new pool.
Among other new items proposed were committing funds to purchase trees or other greenery for the urban forestry department, two foot patrol officers for the Barren Fork Greenway and other recreational areas as well as the creation of a public safety unit (both heavily dependent upon a grant), and the designation of using only donated funds for a potential skateboard park at Pepper Branch Park.
City officials also spent a great deal of time Sunday discussing charitable donations, and pending future changes, gave the OK to about $210,000 in grants or contributions to local non-profits.