CDA removes tax hike from budget plan

The Coeur d’Alene City Council is expected to adopt the proposed 2021-2022 budget on Tuesday.

While the budget plan initially included a 3% property tax increase to generate $700,000, it has since been removed.

Troy Tymesen, city administrator, said they were able to eliminate the tax increase because the city continues to receive positive revenue numbers.

"Sales tax is significantly greater than what had been forecasted and liquor sales have been better than forecasted," he said. "Those are two big swings."

The proposed budget includes expenditures of $108 million, up slightly from last year’s $103.5 million.

Officials noted the city is adding to public safety and streets and "doing this with a zero percent property tax increase."

This makes six years out of the past eight years that it has had budgets with a zero percent tax increase.

Comptroller Vonnie Jensen said the budget amendment shows increases in expenditures due to carryovers of projects, state and federal grants received, funding received in FY 2019-20 from the CARES Act that was designated for FY 2020-21 expenses, impact fee usages for police and fire expenditures and miscellaneous additional items.

Tymesen said the proposed budget included $1.1 million in contractual increases due to merit, cost of living adjustments, 1% wage adjustment for public safety increases, along with health insurance premiums, additional staff, increases to services and supplies and capital outlay.

Proposed staffing additions include a police sergeant, two police officers, a code enforcement officer, a grant-funded police officer, three firefighters and one assistant street director.

Proposed capital outlay purchases of $539,840 include police department vehicles, fire department flooring, used surplus equipment for the streets department, new chiller unit for the police department and repairs at a city-owned building at 414 Fort Ground Way.

Tuesday's City Council meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall.