Mayor offers 2001 budget proposal

Herald staff

Mayor Ed Hansen presented his 2001 budget proposal to city council members Wednesday. The city’s proposed operating budget, which comes primarily from property and business taxes, totals more than $91.8 million. The proposed overall city budget, which includes water, sewer and bus fees, is $383 million.

Here are the highlights:

No proposed increase in the regular property tax rate. If your property assessment doesn’t increase, the amount of your property taxes going to the city won’t increase.

13 new city jobs, 10 of which are in the police and fire departments. Jobs are also proposed for other departments such as parks, public works and the library.

A third paramedic unit will begin operations in the spring with 12 additional firefighter-paramedics, some of which are funded by a voter-approved EMS levy increase.

$400,000 for expansion of Fire Station No. 6 on Evergreen Way.

$8,000 to support continuing education for city employees. This would increase the college tuition allowance to $125 per undergraduate credit hour and $275 for each credit hour of graduate work.

More money for library books. The 2001 budget also includes money for building modifications and equipment replacements, including computer equipment and enrollment in a service that enables library patrons to search nationally for materials.

Street maintenance and improvements, including design work for a bridge from 41st Street to the Snohomish riverfront area, improvements along Evergreen Way from 112th Street SW to Airport Road, and continued design work for East Marine View Drive from Highway 529 to I-5.

Master plans for park projects at CSR Associated in southwest Everett, Thornton A. Sullivan park expansion at Silver Lake and 300 acres of city property in east Everett near Lowell along the Snohomish River.

A study funded in 2000 for an arena/special events facility should be released soon. The study will evaluate funding sources and a proposed facility that would seat about 8,000 people for hockey games, 8,400 for basketball games and 10,000 people for concerts. The facility could also accommodate trade shows, conventions and other events. No tax increase is proposed, since much of the funding would be a credit against the state’s sales taxes and operating income from the facility.