WAITE PARK -- The city of Waite Park is looking to increase its budget for next year.

During Monday’s city council meeting, the council will look to approve an overall preliminary budget of roughly 11.7-million, which is a 15.9% increase over this year.

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City Administrator Shaunna Johnson says the $2.5-million budget increase is a result of staffing increases to the police department, street maintenance budget, salary increases and fuel costs.

Johnson says there is some revenue to offset some of the budget increases, particularly as it relates to the COPS grant and American Rescue funds.

The city will also look to approve a proposed levy of roughly $9.2-million, which would result in a 6.1% increase to the city tax rate. A home valued at $150,000 would increase the property taxes by $70 a year.

Johnson says there are a lot of factors that can increase a person's property tax on an annual basis including property tax valuations and other tax levies (school district, county, state, any special levies).

Once the preliminary budget is approved it can only go down, it can't increase.

The final 2022 budget will be brought for approval during their December 6th meeting.

 

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