City of West Bend Passes Budget

Good for them!

West Bend’s Common Council approved a zero percent increase in the assessed value tax rate and a 2.94 percent increase in the tax levy as part of the city’s 2010 budget Monday night.

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   Overall, the 2010 budget represents a 0.38 percent increase over the current year.

   An increase in the city’s equalized value, mostly from new property development, meant a 2.95 percent boost in the tax levy to $19.87 million.

   Although cost cutting occurred in a number of departments, City Administrator Dennis Melvin said in a memo to Mayor Kristine Deiss and members of the Common Council that there would be no changes in service due to position cuts.

   Melvin wrote that most of the city’s budgeted expenses are related to personnel costs and to keep the tax rate the same, cost cutting involved cutting positions in a number of departments.

My understanding is that there weren’t any citizens at the meeting.  That’s a shame.  In any case, good for the council for doing right by the citizens of West Bend.