Proposed property tax request stays the same as previous year.

By Jan Rahn
Managing Editor
The new budget for the City of Grant which was adopted by council on Tuesday, Sept.11 is down from last year’s figure.
The newly adopted 2012-13 budget is $3.6 million compared to last year’s $3.8 million figure—down nearly $202,000.
Tax asking stays the same, which is $203,426 at a slightly decreased tax rate of 0.451482—last year’s rate was 0.455199.
As typical, the budgeted amount for the city’s streets is as much as possible.
“We still tried to put as much as we could into streets,” said City Superintendent Tyson McGreer. The money necessary to keep up with street improvements is an ongoing challenge for the city.
“We try to keep up in each department,” continued McGreer, “trying to hold the line on most items.” There was not very much fluctuation, and no major shifts in funding or lack thereof in certain departments.
McGreer said there was little or no change in state aid which did not have an impact on the budget for the coming fiscal year.
Included in next year’s figures is funding for installation of new hangars at Grant Municipal Airport.
The city still has entitlement funds from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that can be put toward such a project at the airport.
2012-13 Budget Breakdown
­—The new proposed budget of disbursements and transfers totals $3,597,671.
—The previous year’s budget was a figure of $3,799.623.
—The total tax asking stays the same at $203,426.
—Property valuation within the City of Grant is $45,057,399 which is $276,400 over last year’s valuation.
—The proposed tax levy rate is 45.1 cents per $100 valuation compared to 45.5 cents per $100 valuation in the 2011-12 budget.
This year’s figures compared to last year’s budgeted amounts for certain departments include:
• The electric utility’s portion of the new budget is $1,429,675 which is a very slight fluctuation from last year’s figure of $1,430,840.
• Maintenance and repair of streets is budgeted for $236,044—up from last year’s figure which was $230,590.
• Waste is budgeted at $173,825 which is up from $156,591 last year, and sewer is also up with a budgeted figure of $70,896 compared to $60,257 in the previous budget.
• This year’s budgeted amount  for the police contract is $109,304 which is up from last year’s figure of $104,247.
Below are other city entities with budgeted figures that have fluctuated in the newly adopted 2012-13 budget.
• Fairview Cemetery $38,675 which is nearly the same as last year.
• Hastings Memorial Library is slightly up at $85,731. Last year’s figure was $81,778.
• Grant Municipal Airport has a budgeted amount of $584,770. Last year’s amount was $448,320.
• Grant City Parks/Recreation Program has a budgeted amount for 2012-13 of $132,800 which is a slight increase compared to last year’s figure of $129,925. The amount covers such items as wages, supplies, repairs and sports equipment.

Budget Numbers
The total budget for the City of Grant is $3,597,671 for fiscal year 2012-13
Some of the major department figures are:

General Government    $300,797
Public Safety—Police/Fire    $109,304
Public Works-Streets    $235,890
Culture and Recreation    $218,531
Airport    $584,770
Electric Utility    $1,409,575
Solid Waste    $173,825
Wastewater    $70,896
Water    $225,332
___________________________
Projected Budget    $3,597,671
Property Tax Asking    $203,426
Necessary Cash Reserve    $2,179,300
Total Resources Available    $5,776,970
Total Valuation    $45,057,399
Proposed Tax Rate    0.451482