The New Port Richey City Council passed its budget after cutting $215,000 and 13 jobs.
By ALEX LEARY
Published September 26, 2003
NEW PORT RICHEY - Closing out some of its most trying budget talks in years, the New Port Richey City Council on Thursday passed a $33.4-million spending plan that will require an increase in the property tax rate.
"We've arrived here by compromise," said council member Ginny Miller, who voted in favor of the budget along with Scott Chittum and Frank Parker.
Council members Tom Finn and Bob Langford were against the measure. After the half-hour meeting adjourned, Finn explained that he thought the city could have held down the property tax rate by cutting an additional 2.5 jobs.
The city already had trimmed nine full-time jobs and four part-time positions, all through attrition.
Last week, as part of an effort to balance a $1.2-million budget shortfall, the council agreed to increase the property tax rate to 7 mills from 6.25 mills.
A mill equals $1 for every $1,000 in taxable value, so a homeowner with a house valued at $100,000 who takes the standard $25,000 exemption would pay $525, an increase from $468.75.
Along with agreeing to the tax increase, council members identified $215,000 in cuts.
They include reducing staff pay raises from 5 percent to 3 percent, saving about $62,000, and trimming the allocation for yard waste and disposal service.
About $227,000 in City Council contingency funds also would decrease by $15,000.
Money for a public information program - originally budgeted at $100,000 - would be reduced by $10,000. Roughly $2,700 in computer equipment would be removed from the city manager's office.
