On September 18, 2006, the Beatrice City Council unanimously voted and approved the 2006-2007 budget worth $31 million.
The city adopted the 2006-2007 budget with the property tax levy for the city to remain at 29.35 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation.
Also approved are the Amendments to take $10,000 out of cash reserves to give another $5,000 to weed control and $5,000 more to the Beatrice Humane Society. And for capital improvements, the council as well voted to keep using keno funds.
In the general budget, keno funds has $288,735 and $118,894 of it was transferred from the special keno fund to help pay for capital improvement projects.
Being concerned that the city was becoming reliant on funds that have been decreasing over the past couple of years, Councilman Ted Fairbanks suggested that keno funds should remain in its special fund for city improvement projects, such as city artwork and sculptures and should not be used for capital improvement projects.
According to Mayor Dennis Schuster, he questioned where the money would come from to pay for needed capital improvement projects then Fairbanks answered he felt the city could comply with state-imposed lid laws and still pay for the capital improvements for this year.
At the time the city began receiving the keno funds, the city's sales tax revenues were much higher, so the keno funds were considered play money, said Councilman Rich Kerr.
On the other hand, the keno funds are needed to help fund capital improvement projects because sales tax revenues are down and nobody wants to see a rise in property taxes.
Kerr said he would rather use keno funds for capital improvements and keep property taxes low as long as they could.
Also, Resolutions to authorize the council to exceed he budget limit by 1 percent, if needed, and the property tax request of $1.46 million as required by state statute were approved.
Thursday, October 05 , 2006
John Sullivan
