Next year, Davenport residents may pay more for sewers, garbage, and water. At the same time, the city does not plan to raise taxes.
Tomorrow, Michelle O'Neill reports aldermen are set to vote on the 2017 budget proposal.
Summary
Mallory Merritt is Davenport's Budget Management Analyst. She says if adopted, the city will spend about $202 million in FY 2017. That's 9.7% less than this year, mainly because this year's Capital Improvement Plan includes two expensive projects, expanding Central Fire Station and extending Elmore Street.
Next year, the city plans to spend 3.5 million dollars to complete the fire station.
The cost of employee pensions and benefits continues to increase. Merritt says the budget proposal includes a voluntary health and wellness program for non-union employees.
The proposal includes a 10% hike in the sewer fee over the next two years. Merritt says the state requires Davenport to pay for sewer replacement projects. And the increases in the solid waste and water fees would be 3% next year, and another 3% the following year.
The 2017 budget proposal would leave the property tax rate the same as this year at $16.78 per $1,000 taxable value.