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Department Approval � �: � Item Description �� .r- REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: 08/10/15 Item No.: 12.a City Manager Approval Hearing to Solicit Public Comment on the 2016 Budget & Tax Levy BACKGROUND � At the April 20, 2015 City Council meeting the Council established a 2016 Budget Calendar which outlined a series of steps to establish an eventual budget. The calendar is as follows: 2016 Budget Calendar Departmental Budget Presentations .............................................................. May 27, June 1, 2015 Discussion on City Council Budget Goals & Priorities ............................................ June 15, 2015 Present the City Manager Recommended Budget ..................................................... July 13, 2015 Present the City Manager Recommended Budget to the Finance Commission ........ July 14, 2015 Preliminary Budget Hearing ................................................................................. August 10, 2015 Joint Meeting with the Finance Commission/Review CIP Funding Strategies.... August 17, 2015 Adopt the Preliminary Budget ......................................................................... September 14, 2015 Continue Discussions on the Budget/Review Water & Sewer Fees ....................October 19, 2015 Final Budget Hearing .......................................................................................November 30, 2015 Adopt the 2016 Water & Sewer Rates ............................................................... December 7, 2015 Adopt the 2016 Final Budget ............................................................................. December 7, 2015 The next step in the Budget Calendar is to hold a hearing to solicit comment on the 2016 budget and taX levy. The purpose of the hearing is to provide citizens with an opportunity to provide input on City programs and the budget and to gauge their willingness to pay higher property taxes and fees in order to maintain programs at current service levels. The City Council can then use this input to help guide the setting of a preliminary tax ]evy and budget. For reference purposes, the 2016 Recommended Budget calls for a tax levy increase of $667,818 or � 3.65%. This will result in a tax impact of $1.90 per month for a typical single-family home. With this increase, homeowners will pay approximately $864 annually or $72 per month for core services � including; 24x7x365 police and %re protection, well-maintained streets and parks, street lighting, and other services. POLICY OBJECTNE � Holding a budget hearing to solicit public input is consistent with Council-established goals as well as � muncipal budgeting best practices. Page 1 of 2