Kalispell property taxes expected to increase

Kalispell property taxes are expected to increase slightly under a proposed city budget for fiscal year 2008.

Preliminary estimates are that a home with an assessed value of $100,000 likely would see a property-tax increase of $2.85, from $524.07 to $526.92. A $150,000 home probably would see an increase of $4.29, from $786.10 to $790.39.

Those figures won't be nailed down until probably August, said Amy Robertson, city finance director.

The city staff briefed the Kalispell City Council on Tuesday, mostly on the general-fund portion of the fiscal 2008 budget. The fiscal 2008 budget year begins July 1.

For fiscal 2008, the general-fund expenses are predicted to be $10.674 million out of the city's projected overall budget of $63.246 million. The fiscal 2007 overall budge was $65.028 million.

However, direct year-by-year comparisons are iffy, because different years have different major capital projects that are paid from different revenue sources. For example, a $20 million sewage-treatment expansion is set for fiscal 2008, and will be paid mostly from sewage fees set aside during the past few years.

The general fund mostly covers salaries for city employees and is the only portion of the total budget tied to property taxes. The remaining 83 percent of the $63.246 million budget is funded through fees, utility charges, and numerous other revenue sources. The council will be briefed on those budget segments next week.

The city's proposed general-fund budget predicts that its expenses will increase from $9.85 million in fiscal 2007 to $10.674 million in fiscal 2008. An overall budget figure for fiscal 2007 - which ends June 30 - was not available Tuesday evening to compare with the figure projected for fiscal 2008.

The proposed extra general-fund expenses include:

. Hiring two new police officers, with one earmarked for Glacier High School.

. Buying two new police cars to replace two of five vehicles that have more than 115,000 miles on them.

. Finishing remodeling City Hall as much of the administration staff moves to the old Wells Fargo building this fall.

. Hiring an administrative assistant for the city manager.

. Possibly hiring a video-media specialist if money is available.

. Possibly buying a ladder truck for the Fire Department if money is available.

. Hiring an extra building inspector to join the three on the staff.

. Hiring a part-time court clerk.

A major question mark is the proposed consolidation of 911 dispatch centers for Flathead County, Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls into an independent agency. City Manager Jim Patrick does not expect that merger to happen for a while.