THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030397
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
The city's proposed 1996-97 operating budget is on the table and, despite a slowdown in growth and an increase in school funding, it calls for no new taxes or user fees.
It will provide for pay raises for school and city employees.
The City Council must approve the operating budget by mid-May.
The only public hearing on the budget that has been scheduled will be held April 23 during the regular council meeting.
The $428 million budget, which was informally presented to the City Council last week, is a 6.2 percent increase from this year's.
The budget document shows that Chesapeake continues to grow, but at a slower pace. Past growth averaged about 4 percent in population. However, last year the planning department found the city's growth had slowed to 2.3 percent.
General fund revenues to the city are expected to increase by $18million without a tax increase or jump in user fees, thanks in part to shifting funds for new equipment and giving less money to an emergency cash reserve.
The school district's budget is $12.6 million higher than this year's.
The funding increase for schools is geared toward:
Serving 675 new students.
Providing operating costs for the new Hickory High and Great Bridge Elementary schools.
Providing utilities for five new school additions.
Providing start-up costs for two new middle schools.
Both school district employees and city employees would get a 3.7 percent raise under the proposed budget.
In addition, other city employees could see raises to bring their pay up to minimums for their jobs. They were left behind when the city established its merit pay system two years ago, interim City Manager Clarence V. Cuffee, wrote in his budget summary.
``In fiscal year 1996-97, I would like to make sure that all such employees are brought to a salary level consistent with their pay range'' over and above the 3.7 percent merit pay raise, wrote Cuffee. About $250,000 has been placed in a contingency reserve account for this.
While the city continues to grow, Cuffee said the budget only contains 13 new positions - nine of them in the Fire Department.
Other highlights of the proposed operating budget include:
A new fiber optic system for City Hall to allow better communication among city departments.
Funding up to $600,000 for the first phase of a new medical contract for the new city jail.
Repairing the parking lot of the Great Bridge Community Center.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET by CNB