This was the first budget I could actually vote for. The 2005 and 2006 budget process exploded city spending by over 40% and left Isanti with a difficult legacy. We had to make the tough choice earlier this year to eliminate one of our building inspection positions due to the construction slow down.
The original staff presented budget and tax levy had significant increases. I spent several months working on the budget and bringing it in line with our needs and means. We were able to cut the tax levy by 5%, which is a realized 8% property tax cut, and cut spending for the fist time in the decade. It is critically important to get spending under control as residential growth has slowed dramatically. The property tax cut is the only one in the region. This is made all the more remarkable by the fact our Local Government Aid (LGA) was cut by 21%. Fiscal discipline is important in running an efficient government.
Some of our budget highlights:
- 5% Property Levy reduction
– 8% realized property tax reduction - Spending reductions
- New Police Lieutenant Position Fully funded
- City in compliance with pay equity
- Increased Capital Replacement funding
- Created community funding policy
- Community Service Officer Fully funded
- Reformed City Fund Accounts
- Reformed Administrative funding
- Smoothed volatile spending
The budget does not get finalized till December. The preliminary budget passed on a 3-2 vote. I hope the final budget will receive a 5-0 vote so the city’s taxpayers do not have to worry that this progress is in jeopardy.
I will touch more on the budget and taxes after we get through all the signature projects. I mention the budget twice since it is critically important to ur economic future.
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