Butler City Council has introduced a new version of the 2018 budget that includes a tax adjustment and revised expected revenue figures.
In this new budget, revenues and expenses are equal at just over $9 million. This budget also includes a return to the 2017 street lighting tax rate of 3.25 mils. That tax had been decreased by 1 mil in the previous version of the budget approved by council in December. The tax difference will only be about $8 for the average city homeowner.
Revenue changes include less income from fines administered by police as well as not as much collected in real estate taxes compared to previous estimates. Council could choose to increase parking rates and permit costs to help make up for those lower estimates.
Council is expected to call a special meeting in ten days to give final approval to this revised budget.
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In addition to making changes to budgeted revenue, Butler City Council also made some decisions about some of their expenses for 2018.
Council members decided to fix wages for city employees at the same rate that they were in 2017, except for two employees who they agreed had been paid less than they deserved. The remaining city employees could receive salary increases depending on the results of ongoing negotiations with the city police and firefighters unions.
Council also approved a motion to look into a $200,000 loan that would be used to purchase two police cruisers, a five ton dump truck for the streets department, and a car for city code enforcement officers. The loan would be payable over a two-year term.
Those vehicles are expected to be purchased and in use by the end of March.
Written By: Ryan Saeler for the Butler Radio Network
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