News

St. Cloud passes $72 million city budget for 2012

Photo:

Dec 6, 2011 at 10:19 am

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (KNSI) - St. Cloud city council members approved a nearly $72 million general funds budget Monday, a final spending plan more than 2 percent lower than last year.

The council unanimously passed a spending plan of $71.95 million for 2012, 2.19 percent less than the $73,891,300.43 budget of 2011.

Members also approved a city property tax levy amounting to $20.9 million, a decrease of $1.5 million from last year.

The $71,951,700.07 budget passed Monday was unchanged from the original proposal put before city council members back in August, St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said.

"That's a real reduction in spending. That's a real reduction in the cost of your property taxes," Kleis said.

Kleis said despite a hiring freeze that's trimmed the ranks of county employees by 54 positions, he was pleased with the response of city workers to maintaining the quality of service with less manpower and fewer resources.

"I think folks have really done a great job, stepped forward. The people who work for the city...I appreciate that effort," Kleis said.