At the Shoreline City Council’s October 18 meeting, City Manager Robert Olander presented the 2011 proposed budget, which is balanced in all funds and totals $69.9 million.
The 2011 proposed budget consists of two major categories: $36.2 million operations budget and $33.7 capital budget. The 2011 operations budget net one-time accounting transfers has decreased by 1 percent compared to the 2010 budget, while the City continues to experience increases in police and jail costs, health insurance premiums, and state mandated retirement costs.
The proposed budget assumes passage of Shoreline Proposition 1; and therefore, includes $1 million in net property taxes to fund basic services including police, emergency protection, neighborhood patrols and crime prevention; preservation of safe parks, trails, playgrounds, playfields and the pool; and for community services including senior center and youth programs.
“While the recession has resulted in sharp declines of sales tax and development revenue, the most significant financial challenge that the City faces is that property tax levy increases have been limited to 1 percent annually, which has not kept pace with inflation,” says the City Manager.
The cost to fund day-to-day City services, in inflation adjusted dollars, is approximately $461 per resident, nearly 10 percent lower than in 2000. The City has had to do more with less given that inflation has grown 28 percent since 2000.
On the November 2 ballot, the City is asking voters for an increase of $.28 per $1,000 assessed valuation. If Proposition 1 were approved, it would restore the City’s regular property tax levy rate to $1.48 per $1,000, which remains under the $1.60 legal limit.
If Proposition 1 were to fail, it would result in approximately $15 million in significant service and program cuts over the next six years. The City Manager will submit a revised adoption schedule in November in the event that Proposition 1 fails.
There are several initiatives, including Shoreline Proposition 1, on the November ballot that could impact the 2011 budget. This proposed budget does not take into account liquor initiatives 1100 and 1105 and King County’s Proposition 1 (0.2 percent sales tax). The City’s long-term projections would need to be updated to include this revenue loss and/or revenue gain.
The budget adoption process includes three public hearings: November 1, 8, and 15, with final adoption scheduled for November 22. All meetings start at 7:00 pm and take place at City Hall. The City Council encourages the community to provide input.
For more information about Shoreline’s budget, visit the City website.
Tavia Tam is a member of the City Manager's staff.
ReplyDeleteActually it's Tavia Tan. And of course she is, this is a press release. What did you think it was? It's not like you are noting some nefarious information that's a real zinger.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how the name is properly spelled it would be informative and up front to simply note, "Tavia is a member of the City Manager's staff" in the byline.
ReplyDeleteSince SAN misspelled her name, I would have to believe that they sort of left that off. Probably not with any nasty purpose in mind. Stop looking for the devious in everything, for crying out loud. I hope you're not my neighbor.
ReplyDeleteNo offense intended. "Tam" is how it is spelled on the by-line, so I did not mean to misspell. I did wonder whether the city logo connoted that this was a press release...however, as the commenter above suggests, it may not be clear to the casual viewer of this website what is or is not a press release. What is "obvious" to one person may not be to another.
ReplyDeleteWhere did she get her inflation figures? The inflation rate in United States was last reported at 1.10 percent in August of 2010. From 1914 until 2010, the average inflation rate in United States was 3.38 percent reaching an historical high of 23.70 percent in June of 1920 and a record low of -15.80 percent in June of 1921. Inflation rate refers to a general rise in prices measured against a standard level of purchasing power. The most well known measures of Inflation are the CPI which measures consumer prices, and the GDP deflator, which measures inflation in the whole of the domestic economy.
ReplyDeleteI am having LFP Prop 1 flashbacks- same tired song and dance: scare the voters into believing that the heart and soul of their community will be lost if the property tax raise doesn't go through. I urge the voters of Shoreline to educate themselves about the city's budget and look where there are inefficiencies and excess. The world will not come to an end if Prop 1 fails. On the contrary, maybe the elected officials will actually learn how to run the city like a business.
ReplyDeleteDespite the daily warnings of impending doom should Prop 1 fail, I will still be voting no.
ReplyDeleteYou want to keep Shoreline a family friendly place to live? How about we try not taxing everybody out of their homes!