5 things to know about the budget
The fiscal year 2016 proposed budget includes $800,000 for employee salary increases
- About $2.3 million is budgeted to pay down debt in the next fiscal year.
- Public safety spending accounts for 51 percent of the general fund budget.
- Property taxes account for 19 percent of the city’s general fund budget, with sales taxes at 15 percent and other taxes accounting for 17 percent.
- Health care claims are projected to grow to $6.87 million in 2016 from $3.62 million in the 2011 fiscal year.
The Gainesville City Council is prepared to adopt its fiscal year 2016 budget of $30.7 million and will hold a public hearing on the spending plan when it meets Tuesday night.
The proposed budget is $400,000 greater than the current fiscal year but includes no tax increases.
Council will also hold a first reading Tuesday to set property tax rates for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Council is prepared to keep the millage rate for the city in place at $3.02 per $1,000 of taxable property. Property in the city is taxed at 100 percent of the value.
Of that total, $1.75 will be applied to fund general government functions, while 78 cents will go toward parks and recreation operations and 49 cents will be used to pay off debt.
Council is also prepared to approve the millage rate for the Gainesville Board of Education, which will remain fixed at $7.48 per $1,000 of taxable property, with the entire amount going toward maintenance and operations.
City officials said the millage rate could be adjusted up or down to remain revenue neutral depending on how much change is seen in the overall tax digest, or value of all taxable properties. The final tax digest numbers will not be known until later this summer.
Council will vote May 19 to formally adopt the 2016 budget as well as hold a second and final reading setting the property tax rates.