Ward 2 residents weigh in on budget
Thanks to the residents who attended last night’s Ward 2 Citizens Advisory Committee meeting to discuss the budget. The group went through the proposed budget in detail and had an opportunity to vote on the suggested additions and deletions.
We are just compiling those results now, and will post them shortly.
Below is the full powerpoint presentation showing the increase in the 2014 budget over last year, showing $6 million in extra spending offset by close to $1 million in extra revenue.
The key drivers for the extra spending are increasing the infrastructure levy, hospital levy, new services for the growing community in Alton, investment in economic development and more.
Staff’s initial budget proposal would result in a 4.66% tax increase. Staff also proposed cuts that would reduce that to 4.16%, and further cuts (which staff do not support) to reduce the increase to 3.66%.
A fuller line-by-line report on the budget, and my take, are still to come.
