KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
{audio}images/stories/mp3/city_budget_9_may.mp3″]
City Council Set To Hear About $55M Budget
Casey Kelly/KMXT
The Kodiak City Council will meet Saturday to review the fiscal year 2009 budget, which it is expected to adopt next month.
The council took the first step toward adopting the budget Thursday (last night), when it passed in the first reading an ordinance approving a budget of about 55-million dollars for FY ‘09. If it passes in second reading next month, the city will have its budget in place for the next year.
City Manager Linda Freed said it is largely a maintenance budget, although she hinted that the city could face increasing costs in the coming years.
(City Budget 1 :33s “…infrastructure of the city.”)
Councilman Tom Walters used the occasion to point out that in 14 years on the city council, he’s never voted for a tax increase.
(City Budget 2 :31s “…if not more, uh, taxes.”)
But Walters said dipping into the enhancement fund to pay for projects like a new police station and library concerned him.
(City Budget 3 :18s “…we’re using those monies.”)
Councilman Jack Maker admitted that the city’s current projects are costing a lot of money, but assured the public that they were being done responsibly and urged everyone to have patience.
(City Budget 4 :51s “…and it’s gonna take awhile.”)
The city council will hold its budget work session Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Kodiak Island Borough conference room, downstairs in the borough building.
A second reading and public hearing of the FY ’09 city budget will take place at the city council’s next regular meeting, scheduled for June 26th.
###
