KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
At its regular meeting last night the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly delayed final action on next year’s budget until a special meeting June 9th.
The assembly also voted to keep the severance tax tied to the mill rate.
The new long-term care facility got a go-ahead, and the contract for Threshold Recycling was extended.
KMXT’s Maggie Wall has details on the assembly’s budget discussion.
— (Boro Ass 4:03 "The Kodiak Island…Thursday as well. SOC")
The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly opted to give the budget yet another go-over and delayed making a final decision on the numbers until next week.
The assembly told borough manager Rick Gifford to cut some more because members want to keep the mill rate essentially the same as it is.
Both assembly woman Chris Lynch and Louise Stutes proposed specific cuts that could be made in the borough’s administration and assembly budgets to bring the numbers down.
Stutes was especially frustrated at not seeing more cuts in the administration’s expenses:
((Louise Stutes :37 "We asked staff…money’s getting skinnier."))
Assembly man Jerrol Friend said he thought the manager got the message without the assembly needing to go over every detail:
-((Jerrol Friend :31 "We’ve heard tonight…proper procedure."))
Last night two new budget proposals were passed out-though anything could happen between now and when the final budget is approved.
One plan pegs the area-wide mill rate at the current 10.5 and the other increases it to 11.
Just to clarify something reported in yesterday’s story about the mill rates. The borough’s operations expenses equal point-25 mills and the local school contribution equals 7-point-75 mills, which combined equal 8 mils. That was reported correctly, but there are two other components of the budget that are area-wide expenses which everyone pays a few mills for. Those include debt service, and the renewal and replacement fund for borough buildings and facilities. All those combined bring the total area-wide mill rate to 10.5.
Then, depending on where you live, you may pay additional service district or other extra taxes.
Assemby member Sue Jeffrey said she supports keeping the mill rate at 10.5–and she says that everyone will have to tighten their belts for a while:
-((Sue Jeffrey :58 "I am in favor..where we’re at right now."))
The Assembly has scheduled a special work session for Wednesday to crunch the numbers yet another time before next Thursday’s special meeting to approve the budget. The mill rate for property taxes for next year will be set next Thursday as well.
I’m Maggie Wall.
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