Provo council OK's budget 'rough draft'
PROVO — A proposed $156.8 million budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year passed Provo City Council scrutiny Tuesday.
In order to balance the city's general fund, more than $1 million will need to be transferred from utility funds.
The proposed general-fund budget balances at $45.3 million, down from last year's adopted $50.9 million budget because of declining sales-tax revenue.
The final 2009-10 budget is slated for council approval June 16, but it could see more changes, officials said.
Councilman Steve Turley called the budget document a "rough draft."
City officials trimmed $1.6 million in operational costs but still came up short in the general fund by more than $1 million. Then the council decided to add its $855,000 list of priorities, described by council financial policy officer Dirk Anderson as mostly studies for projects such as a new community center and revitalizing downtown.
Anderson said he expects to see the council priorities and totals reduced before the budget is adopted.
"This is not a wish list," Councilwoman Sherry Hall Everett said. "It is a product of key strategies. One is to grow revenue to provide services and quality of life and to position the city to compete. It requires an investment."
Potential changes could involve melding the public works and community development departments to create a more collaborative environment for residents using city services.
The proposed budget has employees paying more for health insurance to meet a $950,000 cost increase, saving the city $245,000. The city is also freezing merit-, cost-of-living and career-series increases, but it is not laying off any employees.
The city could gain roughly $200,000 from a potential power rate increase of 2 percent starting April 1, 2010.
Provo budget highlights
General fund: $45.3 million
Property tax: No increase.
City employees: No layoffs.
City services: No change.
Employee raises: No merit-, cost-of-living or career-track pay increases.
Final public hearing: 7 p.m., June 16, Provo City Council Chambers, 351 W. Center.
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com
Recent comments
Following the Mayor's lead it looks like the Council agrees it is...
More of the same | June 9, 2009 at 3:35 p.m.
Why is that the Provo Council has taken a page right out of a Where's...
Where's Waldo | June 8, 2009 at 8:01 a.m.
Citizens of Provo, when is it time to finally rid a community of a...
When? | June 5, 2009 at 7:55 a.m.
- Jazz Extra: 5 things the Jazz hate 5:34 p.m.
- Chargers win sixth straight 5:24 p.m.
- Top performers: Robbie Findley 5:18 p.m.
- Top performers: Nat Barchers 5:17 p.m.
- Top performers: Kyle Beckerman 5:15 p.m.
- Top performers: Nick Rimando 5:13 p.m.
- RSL triumphant in Seattle 5:10 p.m.
- From inconsistent to champions 5:07 p.m.
- Fire causes couple to relocate 5:07 p.m.
- Ex-rebel Uruguay's next president 4:54 p.m.
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- BYU is champion of the state
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Credit Coug defense for win
- Field goals, penalties doomed Utes
- Cougar defense rose to occasion
- Marriage definitions vary widely
- Banged up Jazz get best of Blazers
- Jones' joy for life remembered
- Hall comes up big when it counts
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
727 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
468 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - BYU is champion of the state
126 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
117 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
115 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
90 - Hall's legacy measured today
77 - Y. focused on 10-win season
74
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
My heart has just been so heavy for this family. I do not know them, but...
No Jesus in WOT? It seems to me like Rand is going to be a Christ-figure.
I am so glad he won..The one thing that impressed me, dancing aside, was he...
Interesting, but very predictable, that Hall waited a year, and only after a...
I went to Church today - just like you. I went to seminary - just like you....
I feel like Max just yanked me down by my ponytail. I consider Mr. Hall's...
Try again. "So Then" is actually correct. The 23% of the U.S. population has...
It seems a little ironic that Monopoly editions should come at the end of a...
Deseret Dawg - BYU won the toss, if it was sudden-death they would have taken...
I agree, Brandon Sanderson's novels are amazing. I was totally caught by...


