GREENVILLE - The Greenville City Council reviewed and approved the appropriations for the 2013 budget based on recommendations from the Finance Committee on Tuesday.
The City of Greenville’s estimated revenue is $7.1 million this year.
The carryover balance at the Jan.1, 2013 was $2.7 million dollars, while the January 2012 carryover balance was $1.8 million, an increase of roughly $900,000.
“We received a lot more income from income tax than previously projected. By building up our businesses in the city we’ve gathered more income from income tax,” City Auditor Roxanne Willman said. “We were hoping for that. ”
The City’s 2012 income tax revenue equalled $6,092,651, up nearly $500,000 from 2011’s total of $5,636,336. In 2010, the city’s income tax was $5,636,336.
Willman joined the Greenville city administration last November, and has since jumped headfirst into the budget process.
“It’s been challenging, and lot of fun,” Roxanne said. “The city administration did a lot of hard work to get the budget to where it’s at. We’re finally seeing the benefits.”
The city’s increased carryover is due to both the increased income tax revenue as well as budgetary cuts made over the past several years including reduction in staffing, hours and operation and overtime.
“They’ve made cuts over the last several years and that’s played into it,” Willman said. “And getting more people employed in the area has made a huge difference.”
The city is also discussing allotting $400,000 from the city’s general funds towards Capital Improvement Programs now that the income tax is trending in the right direction. Some of the potential project ideas include purchasing a leaf truck, new police cruisers and to upgrade the sounds system of the Marling Band Shell, however these have not been decided yet.
Most of the upcoming projects have the added benefit of seeing a return investment over the next 15 to 20 years.
Concerning new modifications to the budget, the Greenville City Council allotted $7,500 in new funding to supply downtown banners and Christmas lights.
Members of the council discussed the size of the city pool’s budget of of $83,745, although it was down from last year’s appropriations of $91,000.
No major changes to personnel or staffing were announced, and the city avoided any layoffs as in 2012.
The city council agreed to retain the position of the Greenville Police Department secretary, and interviews will continue for that position.
The city council briefly discussed leaving the Greenville Fire Department’s auxiliary staff budget at zero as it had in 2012, however after testimony from Mark Wolf, Chief of the Greenville Fire Department, the council agreed to grant a $22,000 auxiliary budget.
“We need those boots on the street,” Wolf said.
The funds are designed to fund four to five auxiliary members to the city fire department.
The budget will be approved into legislation during the next Greenville Council meeting.