Iola City Council members will be asked tonight to approve a number of measures to close an $800,000 shortfall in expenses and revenues for 2017.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh already has instituted an across-the-board, 5-percent spending cut for 2016 because of a projected deficit.
Doing so will give the city a larger carry-over balance for 2017.
Even so, the city must take other steps to balance the 2017 budget, Slaugh said in written remarks to the Council.
Among the city’s options:
— Raising the city’s property tax levy by 4.47 mills, which would generate about $131,000.
— Increase transfers from electric and wastewater by a combined $154,000, while reducing the electric transfers to the equipment reserves by $250,000.
— Eschewing rock purchases for chip-and-seal projects next year, saving about $100,000. That would be possible if the city cancels its 2017 chip-seal work, or go to a five-year rotation for the annual maintenance work.
— Cutting the city’s annual payment to Van Scoyoc and Associates, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm. Slaugh recommended not paying $25,000 for the rest of this year, and $50,000 for 2017.
— Changing the city’s policy on how overtime is computed. (No figures were provided with this potential action.)
— Other areas for discussion include whether to purchase a second patrol car for the Iola police Department, and increasing trash collection fees from $8.50 to $10.50 monthly.
THERE HAS been much confusion about whether large property tax hikes must go in front of local voters, Slaugh noted, because of a tax lid law recently approved by the State Legislature.
While the tax lid law goes into effect in 2017 — any proposed hike greater than the rate of inflation must be approved by local voters — it would not affect any budget approved this year, Slaugh said.
“The tax lid does not affect your 2017 budget,” Slaugh wrote.
ALSO ON the agenda for tonight’s meeting are discussions about whether to allow golf carts to be driven on city streets.
The 6 p.m. meeting will be at the New Community Building at Riverside Park.
The public is invited.
