Butler City Council has finalized a new version of the 2018 budget that includes a tax adjustment and a wage freeze for most city employees.
This new budget, with equal revenues and expenses at just over $9 million, was approved at a special meeting Monday by council members Jeff Smith, Kenny Bonus and Mayor Ben Smith. Council members Mike Walter and Corey Roche were not present.
This budget includes a return to the 2017 street lighting tax rate of 3.25 mils. That tax had been decreased by 1 mil in the previous version of the budget approved by council in December. Two city employees will receive a wage increase but the rest will make the same amount that they did last year. That decision could be revisited once contract negotiations have taken place with the unions representing city firefighters and police.
The budget also includes a request of $15,000 in rent from the City Redevelopment Authority for occupying the bottom floor office space in the Tier Garage which they were offered at no cost last year.
After Mayor Ben Smith and new Councilman Jeff Smith were sworn-in in January, council voted to re-open the 2018 city budget to give themselves an opportunity to more closely look into it and give their stamp of approval.
Written By: Ryan Saeler for the Butler Radio Network
