Budget Proposal Includes Tax Hike

DAYTON – The Dayton City Council for the first time in three years is considering a 1 percent increase in property tax in its 2013 budget.

“We are looking to (in- crease the property tax) for the first time in three budget cycles,” Mayor Craig George said.

The tax increase will bring in an extra $3,300 in revenue for the city. George said revenues are projected to be down for 2013. He added the relatively small price tag on the property tax increase was the reason the 1 percent hadn’t been imposed for the last few years.

The grand total of all proposed budgeted funds for 2013 is $5,858,300. This amount is up from the 2012 total of $5,627,075, an in- crease of 4.11 percent.

George read off several highlights in the proposed budget released Oct. 22, stressing that the city will be able to continue and maintain existing services, including the green yard waste curb- side pickup and the contin- ued planning phase on the wastewater treatment plant. Planning for the wastewater treatment plant is budgeted to receive $75,000 in the 2013 budget. George said the city council will also consider implementing a feline control program.

In addition, the city council will look at increasing dog licensing fees, pool fees and certain cemetery service fees, George said.

If the current proposed budget is passed, citizens will see a 2 percent increase in utility bills with increases in garbage and water rates, bumping the bill up to $99.75. The current bill is $97.89.

Union city employees could see an increase of 1.3 percent in their cost of living allowance.

The city proposes to save $34,600 in the 2013 budget by not renewing the city planning contract with Columbia County and hiring a Dayton city planner whose name will be announced at the next city council meeting. The new city planner is bud- geted to cost $39,400.

The city also trimmed $22,550 from general gov- ernment, down 28.89 percent from last year’s $97,700 total. There will also be a $9,800 reduction from the City Clerk/Treasurer’s office, down 22.32 percent from last year’s $43,900 total.

City Clerk/Treasurer Tri- na Cole, who assembled the proposed 2013 budget, said the cuts to her office were to programs the clerk/treasurer’s office had last year, not to wages.

“I have to look at what I did in the previous year and balance historic programs and upcoming projects,” Cole said.

Cole also said her office was required to purchase new computers ahead of schedule, which added to the gap between 2012 and 2013 funding.

The city will be spending an extra $13,800 on the judi- cial department and $12,850 on city parks in 2013. The cityalsoapproveda5percent increase for law enforcement, bumping the budget up an ex- tra $9,800. The total requested budget for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, ac- cording to documents provid- ed to the Times by the county, is $960,494, of which the city of Dayton funds $389,700, or about 40 percent.

The city street and road fund will see a boost of $77,400, which Cole said will largely go to a planned chip sealing project.

The next budget hearing will be at the Monday, Nov. 5, council meeting.