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La Center OKs $6.7M budget with 1% tax hike

By Marissa Harshman, Columbian Health Reporter
Published: December 10, 2010, 12:00am

The La Center City Council unanimously adopted a $6.7 million 2011 budget Wednesday night.

The budget includes a 1 percent increase in property taxes. The council will consider increasing sewer fees by $4 per month in February.

In his budget message, Mayor Jim Irish said the city’s revenue picture is subdued as the prospect for economic recovery in 2011 remains uncertain. At the same time, a number of the city’s costs, such as health care and utilities, are going up, he said.

“This budget has been developed with due consideration of the current recession that has gripped our nation and trickled down to our small city,” Irish said.

The city has trimmed expenses in all areas except salary and benefits, which are tied to contracts, Finance Director Suzanne Levis said.

The 2011 budget is considerably smaller than the city’s $18.1 million 2010 budget. The difference is largely due to the $9 million budgeted in 2010 to complete the wastewater treatment plant expansion. The facility now has the capacity to meet residents’ needs through 2017.

The city’s general fund for 2011 is about $4 million. The budget includes $40,000 to widen and resurface paths at Holley Park and to resurface the paths along Heritage Trail and SouthView Wetlands Park.

The budget also includes $400,000 to tackle the city’s top transportation improvement project: the Fifth Street and Aspen Avenue realignment. The project will align East Fifth Street with West Fifth Street at Aspen Avenue and is expected to improve visibility and safety.

A $150,500 community development block grant, combined with $79,500 of city funds, will be used to widen roadways in old town. The money also will pay to construct a 6-foot pedestrian sidewalk on three blocks in old town.

The city plans to continue to apply for community development block grants until the widening and pedestrian improvements are complete, Irish said.

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