At least one city councillor believes the 2020 budget is looking good but “needs a little work.”
Mark Bentz thinks administration did a good job getting the budget to council, but now the real effort begins to try to pare down the before-growth 3.17 percent tax levy increase. He says “speaking as a councillor and not (as budget chair) I think we need to get the number for the levy increase down below 3 percent for sure.”
The city councillor also notes there is a recommendation to hire 8 or 9 people which he plans to ask about. Says Bentz, “certainly in these times I’m very leary of increasing staff.”
The at-large councillor is also against going into the city reserve to reduce the tax levy since that will only create problems “later on down the road.”
Meantime listen to 99.9 The Bay on Monday morning at 8:35 as John Ongaro interviews City Manager Norm Gale and City Treasurer Linda Evans on the 2020 budget.
