Council puts stamp of approval on budget

City Council has approved a $45.8 million budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

This is an $8.5 million increase over last year’s budget and includes major street projects totaling $12.5 million, a new swimming pool costing more than $4 million and park improvements running about $2 million.

“This budget accomplishes a lot,” City Manager Gary Person told the council on Tuesday night. “(It’s) a lot of things that you wanted to see done.”

The property tax levy request of $1.93 million for the next fiscal year is slightly higher than last year’s request of $1.71 million, which is still 33 percent below the $2.52 million lid allowed by state law. This is due to revenues generated through sales tax that were enacted in part for property tax relief.

This year, for a home worth $100,000, the owner will pay $2,315 in total property taxes. Of that amount, nearly half of those dollars go to Sidney Public Schools and $480 goes to Cheyenne County. The City of Sidney itself receives $433 of those taxes.

Last-minute budget cuts of about $500,000 were made due to the unexpected rise of health insurance rates, 62 percent of which was absorbed through increased employer and employee premium payments.

The budget cuts prevented the hire of new employees for the police department, golf course and potentially the library. The purchase of a new vehicle for the police dept. was also postponed.

2014-2015 Budgeted Expenses

Streets $12,535,457

Electric $10,119,650

Swimming Pool $4,094,371

Grants/Projects $4,054,903

Park $2,156,629

Water $2,119,360

Solid Waste $1,982,546

General Admin $1,780,072

Police $1,661,201

Sewer $1,521,629

Debt Service/Collection Fee $1,124,131

Golf $717,314

Library/Bookmobile $485,021

Econ Dev/LB840 Plan $300,000

Public Transportation $278,432

Communications Center $256,438

Inspection/Zoning $207,490

Cemetery $168,204

Fire $150,131

Economic Development $150,000

Special Revenue Funds $15,729

Total

$45,878,708

2014-2015 Budgeted Revenue

Streets (State aid, misc.) $11,087,033

Electric $10,119,650

Pool Financing $4,000,000

Grants (Fed/State) $3,000,000

Sales Tax $2,700,000

Water $2,119,360

Solid Waste $1,982,546

License/Fees/Permits/Interest/Misc. $1,810,717

Sewer $1,521,629

Property Tax (General) $1,326,990

Debt Service Fund $1,124,131

Rebudgeted Funds – General $1,094,574

Park Improvement Financing $1,000,000

Infrastructure Sales Tax $1,000,000

Streets (sales tax & property tax) $401,000

Golf $306,897

LB840 $300,000

Fort Sidney Road $243,629

Public Transportation – Operating $205,290

Occupation Tax – Street $156,183

Motor Vehicle $147,612

Bookmobile (reimb.) $90,000

Police Reimbursement $45,000

Cemetery $42,500

Econ. Dev. $21,667

States Sales Tax Collect $21,000

Swim Pool Admission $9,300

Library Direct Aid $2,000

State Aid to Municipalities $0

Muni Equalization $0