Question from Andy
Mayor it's budget time again. Does it look like this will be the year that a restaurant tax or insurance tax is passed?
Steve Connelly answered:
Berea's 2006-07 budget will be read twice and passed in June.
The current version of the budget has many proposed projects and personnel adjustments which will provide for future growth and stability. For example, $1.8M for a recreation park expansion; money for the purchase and development of a new industrial park;(the city will ultimately bond these project and pay approximately $500,000 per year over 20 years); an additional $700,000 expenditure to keep our current health care coverage; addding two additional personnel each in police and fire departments; continuing to maintain a prudent rainy day fund; building a new fire station; implementing 3.5% across the board pay increase along with selected additional pay increases for personnel areas that have fallen behind the avearge with details still being worked out. Other long-term projects like an event/conference center are still being studied for feasibility.
This budget is progressive and looks toward the long-term health of the city. However, enacting such a budget will commit the city to a tax increase in the near future. But no tax increase is proposed in the current budget.
The current version of the budget has many proposed projects and personnel adjustments which will provide for future growth and stability. For example, $1.8M for a recreation park expansion; money for the purchase and development of a new industrial park;(the city will ultimately bond these project and pay approximately $500,000 per year over 20 years); an additional $700,000 expenditure to keep our current health care coverage; addding two additional personnel each in police and fire departments; continuing to maintain a prudent rainy day fund; building a new fire station; implementing 3.5% across the board pay increase along with selected additional pay increases for personnel areas that have fallen behind the avearge with details still being worked out. Other long-term projects like an event/conference center are still being studied for feasibility.
This budget is progressive and looks toward the long-term health of the city. However, enacting such a budget will commit the city to a tax increase in the near future. But no tax increase is proposed in the current budget.