Oak Ridge Today has uploaded a copy of the city manager’s budget presentation to Oak Ridge City Council. You can see a PDF version of the budget presentation here: City of Oak Ridge (Fiscal Year 2017 Budget).
Council received the PowerPoint presentation during a special meeting on Tuesday.
Here are a few highlights from the Tuesday meeting:
- The proposed city budget would leave the property tax rate unchanged, but it could include rate increases for water, sewer, and trash collection.
- If approved by Council, the budget would not increase the property tax rate for the ninth year in a row. After five-year reappraisals last year, the rate is now set at $2.52 per $100 of assessed value.
- The proposed budget includes a 3 percent pay adjustment that would move employees along their pay scales, helping to separate those who have worked for the city for a while from those who have just started.
- The trash fee would increase by $3.50 per month, raising it from $10.50 to $14 per month starting in October. The fee was raised to $10.50 last year. At $14 per month, the city would no longer subsidize part of the trash fee, as it has previously done. The city used to pay half of the $14 fee, meaning residents paid $7 per month and the city paid $7.
- Water and sewer rates are expected to go up in January 2017. Those rate increases have been delayed from January 2016. They are part of a study done about three years ago.
The City Council has not approved the budget yet. Council will consider it on first reading on Monday, June 6, and on second and final reading on Monday, June 13.
See the budget presentation here:Â City of Oak Ridge (Fiscal Year 2017 Budget).
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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