Johnston Council Settles on 20-Cent Tax Rate Increase, Public Has Its Say March 5

What started as a proposed to the property tax levy in Johnston was whittled down to a 20-cent hike after another budget discussion by the Monday.

The council agreed to reduce capital equipment funding by $168,000 for the fiscal year 2013, which brought the proposed levy to $11.29 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The fund will now hold $50,000. The current levy is $11.09 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The fund is used to purchase large equipment such as vehicles for departments and city use.

Council discussion on the budget also included eliminations or reductions in several areas including:

• Send only one full-time employee to paramedic school, a savings of $8,000.
• Reduce travel to conferences by the mayor and council, a savings of $2,000.
• No longer participate in Sister Cities program, cost of $250.
• Reduce office supplies for mayor and council, a savings of $1,000
• Reduce advertising and legal publications by city administrator, a savings of $300.
• Eliminate mailing of community development notices not required by law. Instead postcards will be sent, a savings of $450.
• Eliminate annual copier maintenance for community development, a savings of $560.
• Reduce software and IT hardware servers for city administration, a $5,000 savings.
• Reduce council training, a savings of $1,500.
• Reduce advertising and legal publications by city clerk, a savings of $500.
• Reduce training and travel for the , a savings of $2,875.
• Reduce minor equipment repairs, a savings of $2,500.
• Reduce staff training and travel for the , a savings of $1,000.

"By funding our budget at $11.29 we are providing for the needs of our community and we are providing needs at a level that ensures that we are providing quality service," said Mayor Paula Dierenfeld. "In a very tight budget year, we've had to make some pretty tough decisions to get where we are at. I don't think it's appropriate for us to increase our property tax just to bank it for costs that we are going to incur in a future year."

The council initially discussed not financing the capital equipment fund for the fiscal year 2013. However, after discussing the additional reductions, the fund was restored with $50,000.

The council discussed and chose to proceed with several reductions at a .

Those reductions include:

•     Eliminating a vacant communication specialist position - $92,000
•     Delay the hiring of three firefighters for the new fire station until Oct. 1 - $48,366.
•     Move traffic control and safety funds to the road use tax - $53,500
•     Only pay the administrative fee for the West Help Program - $20,000
•     Reduce funding for the capital equipment program by $167,000
•     Reduce staff training and consulting for parks by $1,500

The council on Monday approved a public hearing for the fiscal year 2013 budget on March 5 at 7 p.m.