City Councilman Chip Henderson said Tuesday he plans to propose an alternate city budget that would limit a property tax increase to 12 cents - from the current $1.55 per $100 of assessed valuation to $1.67.
Council members Raquetta Dotley and Marvene Noel announced their opposition to the alternate budget, and Councilman Dennis Clark said earlier he wanted to go all the way to a $2.35 tax rate.
Kevin Roig, the mayor's chief of staff, continued to press for a 44-cent rise to $1.99, saying otherwise the city will need to downgrade its services due to continued inflationary pressures.
Councilman Henderson said he wanted to adopt budget cuts recommended last week by Chair Jenny Hill that include blanket reductions to the City Council and mayor budgets.
He said he wanted to serve on an ad hoc committee that would line item the mayor's budget for potential cuts. Council members Jeff Davis and Cody Harvey also said they wanted to be on that panel.
City Attorney Phil Noblitt raised the issue of that alternate budget needing to be ready 10 days prior to a scheduled public hearing on the upcoming city budget. A hearing is set for Aug. 19.
Councilman Henderson said it is normal at council meetings to be able to bring up alternate versions.
Councilman Henderson questioned Mr. Roig about a "threat" made by Mayor Tim Kelly, saying he would support those who go along with his budget request, and "the reverse" on those who don't go along.
Commissioner Henderson said there were concerns that if he voted against the mayor's budget that a planned water line to a growing community on Aetna Mountain might not be completed. Mr. Roig said it might not be completed because of inadequate funds available without the mayor's budget.
Councilman Davis said he would second the motion for the Henderson plan and the effort to make line item cuts. He said, "We ought not to rely on a tax increase alone."
Councilman Davis said residents "are not fooled by the word play about this being a tax decrease." On his budget stance, he said, "Heck yeah, I'm cheap on spending other peoples' money." He referred to prior comments by Councilman Clark.
Councilman Davis said he felt "the threats made by the mayor indicate he's a little desperate."
Mr. Roig said the mayor's office would welcome the council's involvement in line item cuts, but the mayor's office "would not spend time" on that.
He said with the increase to $1.99 that it would fully fund needed fire and police raises, $7.5 million in additional street paving, a $5.5 million fire and police pension contribution, needed vehicles and equipment for fire and police, $750,000 for safe and clean streets, $500,000 for cybersecurity software, $225,000 for traffic management, funds for a speed camera program in school zones, $2 million for parks maintenance, $1.3 million for targeted neighborhood economic development, and funds for personality tests for city staff. After Commissioner Cody Harvey was critical of the personality tests, Mr. Roig said that would be dropped.
The various proposals include raising starting police pay to $58,699 and fire pay to $55,968.
Councilman Ron Elliott said he had "heard more about the mayor's threats" than about the tax rate. He said he did not favor blanket reductions as Chair Hill had proposed, but on a line item basis.
Councilwoman Noel said she was "point blank not supporting" the Henderson proposal. She said the budget had gotten far behind by past councils not voting more revenue.
Councilwoman Dotley, who is overseeing the budget, said she was strongly opposed to cutting community development.
She said the city had gotten in trouble by having inadequate revenue in 2021 when recycling drivers had to take over for underpaid garbage truck drivers.
Chair Hill earlier recommended trimming the community development budget from $11.1 million to $9.4 million - a 15 percent reduction.
She proposed cutting 10 percent of the City Council budget $99,666) and 10 percent from the mayor's budget ($771,898). In addition, she asked a five percent reduction from other city departments as well as a $500,000 cut in city job training. She said the latter cut would not include internships and apprenticeships.
Her cuts added to $5.9 million. She noted that the council earlier set aside $5 million toward the fire and police pay - bringing the total to $10.9 million to go toward fire and police salaries. She said a 12-cent tax increase could bring the extra money needed for first responders.