Tax levy adopted

After months of debate about budget cuts, Brainerd's 2008 budget and tax levy is set.

The Brainerd City Council on Monday, in a close 4-3 vote, adopted a 2008 tax levy of $3,816,296. Voting against the levy were council members Kelly Bevans, Kevin Goedker and Bob Olson. The levy included $104,850 for the Brainerd Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

The levy represents a tax rate of 44.68 percent. The tax rate in 2007 was 42.68 and resulted in a tax levy of $3,509,766. The 2008 budget includes $14,198,190 in expenditures and $12,994,797 in expenses. The budget was adopted by a 5-2 vote, with Goedker and Olson against.

In total, city department heads cut $348,000 from their 2008 budgets to meet the council's preference for a tax rate of 44.68 percent.

Council member Anne Nelson Fisher said she was pleased staffers added back some of the cut items using $78,000 from an insurance refund, but she was still concerned that the city needed to cut capital expenditures that will have to be made at a later date and at a later cost.

Council member Bonnie Cumberland suggested that for future budget preparation, it would help for staffers to develop a five-year capital improvement plan.

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.