EVERETT – Everett City Council members on Thursday quizzed department managers about plans to expand the city’s annual budget by tens of millions of dollars.
The first public hearing on the proposed $436 million 2007 budget includes details on how the spending plan grew by $34 million since last year.
Everett Chief Financial Officer Debra Bryant walked the council through the fine print of the plan, which calls for double-digit increases to the budgets of several city departments.
Receiving among the most dramatic boosts is the animal shelter, which could add six full-time employees, increasing its budget 60 percent to $1.42 million.
Mayor Ray Stephanson unveiled the proposal last week, saying the city is operating from a “position of financial strength.”
The city charter requires the Council to approve a balanced budget by the end of December each year.
Proposed increases to this year’s budget are built on financial assumptions that predict the city will see a 20 percent increase in sales and business tax revenue next year.
A new item was also put on the table Thursday.
City Councilman Mark Olson said the city should look into offering employee health care benefits for gay and lesbian couples.
“That will open up, no doubt, a lot of discussion,” he said. “Now is really the time to discuss the question.”
He requested that the finance department report back to the council on the cost of such a move.
Other budget highlights include:
$811,000 in increases to Everett Police Department.
$700,000 in increases to Everett Fire Department.
$610,000 in increases to municipal arts – a threefold increase.
$473,000 in increases to the engineering and public services department.
$407,000 in increases to the legal department.
The budget for the mayor’s administration dropped by 1 percent to $1.6 million.
Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.
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