Havre budget, tax increase get final approval

The Havre City Council approved a $12.2 million budget on Monday night, and it also fixed the tax levy for this year.

The property tax rate increased from 160.76 mills to 178.74 mills. The tax on a property worth $50,000 would be about $304, an increase of about $23.

A total of 8.28 mills of the 18.02-mill increase will pay for the city's share of a 45 percent increase in health insurance premiums for city workers. The city will pick up half of the increase and the employees will pick up the rest.

Last year's total budget was just over $11 million. This year's general fund budget of $2.65 mill...