Lonsdale approves 2007 budget with high increase in property tax levy
Lori Nickel, Montgomery Messenger
The Lonsdale City Council approved the budget for 2007 at their regular meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14.
According to a city memo summarizing the budget for 2007, a levy in property taxes will provide the city with $1,428,000 in revenue for the year. That figure includes the 28.91 percent increase approved by the city council.
Reasons given for the levy include an increase in staffing levels, an increase in debt service payments, capital outlay for infrastructure and an increase in funding to the Lonsdale Economic Development Authority (EDA).
City Administrator Joel Erickson explained that the needed first phase of the Capital Improvement Plan that was completed this fall was partly responsible for the increased capital outlay for infrastructure.
A city Truth In Taxation meeting was held on Monday, Dec. 4 for resident input on the 2007 budget. According to Mayor Tim Rud, three residents attended the hearing and were mostly concerned with the increase in the valuation of their properties.
The city council does not set the valuation of property