Kalispell studies $55.7 million budget
Property taxes might rise slightly
A $150,000 Kalispell house would have an annual city property tax bill that's $4.83 higher under a proposed 2006-07 city budget being studied by Kalispell's City Council.
Overall, Kalispell's city staff has proposed a $55.747 million budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, compared to the 2005-06 total budget of $52.363 million.
The overall budget is financed by a couple of dozen revenue sources and mostly covers obligations that the city must meet - such as sewage treatment and debt service.
The majority of the property taxes is tentatively earmarked to pay 44 percent of the city's proposed $10.066 million in general fund expenses for 2006-07. An overwhelming chunk of the general fund goes to city workers' wages and salaries.
The general fund is where the council has the most leeway to change spending.
Estimated general fund expenses for fiscal year 2005-06 - which ends June 30 - are $9.3 million, slightly less than originally budgeted.
All this translates to owners of a house with an assessed value of $150,000 paying $821.10 in city property taxes in 2005-06, with a preliminary estimate of an $825.93 property tax bill in 2006-07.
A solid property tax rate for 2006-07 won't be pinned down until late summer after the state finishes its tax calculations.
The council has scheduled a budget discussion workshop after its regular 7 p.m. meeting on Monday. If needed, it will hold another workshop at 7 p.m. June 15. The council will take a preliminary vote on the proposed budget on June 19.
Under the proposed budget, the city staff hopes to:
-Move into the downtown Wells Fargo building in September to expand the city's staff's space while consolidating city offices from four buildings to two. This includes consolidating all the city's planning, zoning and building functions in one place.
-Add three firefighters, two emergency medical technicians, a police officer to focus on domestic abuse cases, a deputy city attorney and a legal secretary. A permanent part-time airport manager also would be hired.
-Begin expanding the city's sewage treatment plant, which will be funded with sewage rate increases already in place.
-Create an impact-fee system to help pay for city services for new housing and commercial developments.
-Finish building streets, sewers and water lines for the Old School Station industrial park. So far, the park has one tenant nailed down for its 17 lots.
-Create a plan for senior city staff members to pass their institutional knowledge on to other staff members, since at least one-third of the city's senior-level people are eligible to retire in the next four years.
-Build four new hangars at the city airport.
-Explore how to modify or move KGEZ's radio towers so they don't violate federal height restrictions that would go into effect if the airport extends its runway south.
Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com