Aberdeen's administration is proposing a $14.4 million budget for fiscal year 2016 that would include a 2-cent drop in the property tax rate.
The city council introduced the proposed budget at its Monday meeting. The budget features a proposed real property tax rate of 66 cents per $100 of assessed value, less than the current rate of 68 cents per $100.
The personal property tax rate would stay the same at $1.70 per $100 of assessed value. The water rate would also remain at $15.23 for the first 3,500 gallons or less and $4.60 for each additional 1,000 gallons. The sanitary sewer use rate would stay at $19.57 for the first 3,500 gallons and $5.58 for each additional 1,000 gallons of water.
The proposed general fund budget would be $14,360,670, a 2.2 percent reduction from last year's appropriation of $14,683,758.
Aberdeen's city leaders had been eager to take advantage of revenues from the newly-passed hotel and motel lodging tax.
City Manager Doug Miller said last month the 6 percent tax meant his city's administration could lower the property tax rate.
The capital budget, meanwhile, would be $875,105, a 76.4 percent drop from the $3.7 million appropriated last year. The drop includes about $1.2 million less for public works projects of street and sidewalk repairs.
Mayor Mike Bennett said he hopes to recuperate more in highway user revenue funds from the state.
The prposed budget includes a 33 percent increase in winter operations expenses, up by $10,000, and a 10.7 percent increase in public works for streets.
It also includes a 15 percent increase in expenses for government buildings, including $60,000 more to be spent on the City Hall and police department complex.
The stadium fund expenses are set to go down by 0.03 percent, to $681,423.
The next council meeting is set for May 18.