(KNSI) – Waite Park’s preliminary 2024 budget is over 13 percent higher than this year, which would mean a tax rate increase.
Administrator Shaunna Johnson emailed KNSI News that the levy would capture the growth and amount to a rate hike of over 5.38%. Johnson says the increase is due to compensation and benefits for city employees, plus contracting for EMS services through Stearns County and a partnership with St. Cloud for fire response.
Johnson says the numbers represent the worst possible scenario, and there will likely be downward adjustments before the budget is finalized in December. One of the big question marks still to be resolved is the terms from Stearns County.
Johnson says inflationary costs are mostly showing up in gasoline for the city fleet and equipment used by the public works department.
___
Copyright 2023 Leighton Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast, published, redistributed, or rewritten, in any way without consent.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!