City budget approved

Bonners Ferry property owners can expect an increase in property taxes for next year.

City council recently approved a $12.8 million budget that will require the owner of a home with an assessed value of $100,000 to pay $334 in taxes. That same property owner paid $14 less last  year.

Department heads were asked to cut spending in their individual budgets and according to city clerk, Kris Larson, the department heads stepped up and delivered.

The main reason the city’s revenue is down is because interest rates on the general fund are lower, Larson said. Therefore the city makes less money off the interest. She said the general state of the economy has also been a factor.

“The guys worked really hard and did a good job with their budgets,” said Larson.  They made some tough choices to meet the wished set forth to get the budget as a whole down.”

One change that has been made is  snow removal service. According to Larson, the city will start clearing snow from streets after it’s 6 inches deep instead of 3 inches as in past years.

Also businesses will have to shovel their walks this year.

The city also will not fill a position for a police officer who will retire this month, Larson said.

No raises are expected with the exception of two empoyees who work for the water and sewer department. The raises are based on level of certification they received. One employee will get 60 cents more an hour and the other, 88 cents more an hour.

“When they move up a class (water department plant workers) in their plant then they receive a certification bump,” said Larson.