City of Dayton adopts 2021 Budget

Budget includes water/sewer utility rate increases

DAYTON—The Dayton City Council adopted the 2021 City Budget at their meeting on Tuesday, Dec.1, and Mayor Zac Weatherford presented the following:

Built into the Budget are proposed water and sewer utility rate increases for all service types.

The average residential customer will see an increase in their utility bill of $10.65 each month.

Weatherford said the City Council delayed an increase in these rates in 2020 in exchange for deferring capital improvements for one year.

“Rate increases are never easy, but they are a necessity to keep up the needs of the systems,” he said.

Early next year, Weatherford will present the city council with a discount and financial assistance policy to provide financial relief for low-income seniors.

Weatherford said the budget was adopted with the knowledge there will be amendments to it, early next year, to take into account increased costs for Law Enforcement, District Court, and Dispatch services the county provides to the city and to reflect additional changes.

In the fiscal year 2020, the sales and use tax revenues were split equally between the Current Expense Fund and the City Street and Road Fund.

Because of the increased costs for county-provided services, the Budget shows a 60% distribution to the Current Expense Fund and a 40% distribution to the City Street and Road Fund.

The Budget is approximately 7.63% less than the 2020 estimated budget.

Total real and personal property tax revenues are around $350,000 for 2021, representing a 0%increase over 2020 projections. The forecast is primarily tied to COVID-19 and tax collection policies established at the state level, which is expected to continue into 2021.

The city's estimated revenues include $48,462 from Criminal Justice Sales Tax revenue, $216,000 from B&O taxes, and $3,500 from Leasehold Excise Taxes. Other state distributions are expected to generate an additional $145,324 to support the Current Expense Budget and City Street and Road Fund.

Retail sales and use taxes are estimated at $321,074, which is 1.9% higher than estimated revenues for the current years.

“The city will be monitoring all our revenue sources closely, and adjustments will be made as new information is provided throughout the year,” Weatherford said.

There are no personnel changes in the budget. The budget reflects a 1.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for regular full-time employees, excluding union personnel.

The city is currently negotiating union contracts for 2021-22. The Budget reflects a 7% increase in union salaries and wages, which may need to be adjusted to reflect the results of the negotiations.

“I am confident that by working together with our community, council, and committed staff, we will capitalize on opportunities and mitigate challenges, positioning Dayton to effectively deal with the changes that come in the year and years ahead,” Weatherford said.

Projects for 2021 are identified in the 2021 Budget and can be viewed on the city’s website at https://www.daytonwa.com/inside-city-hall/city-council/city-budget-2.

The Dayton City Council also approved Ordinance No. 1971, adopting the 2021 Salary Schedule for non-contractual employees of the City of Dayton.