2012-13 city budget to get final review this week

With the final budget decisions being made this week, the Havre City Council, and any member of the public with a comment on the proposed $17 million budget, will have double the meetings, double the fun.

The council will begin their public hearings for the budget during tonight's regular meeting at 7 p.m., pushed to Tuesday by the holiday.

The meeting will be recessed, rather than adjourned, at the end of tonight's meeting, so it can be picked up again Wednesday at 6 p.m., where the final reading, discussion and votes will take place.

The majority of the new budget is largely unchanged, though the city's new Finance Director Doug Kaercher explained a few of the more significant changes.

One of the most significant changes is a nearly $300,000-cut in property taxes spent on ambulance services, after a price hike last year boosted revenue. Kaercher said the ambulances should pay for themselves after this year.

Other items, in areas like property taxes and jail processing fees, have seen changes following clarifications in financial relationships with Hill County.

Aside from the entire budget, the council will also cast the final votes on four city taxes to pay for the maintenance of streets, street lights, the sewer system and Bull Hook.