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Paul “Andy” Stewart
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Tab 11
Ledger, The (Lakeland, FL)
July 27, 2006
CITY GROWTH DRIVES $26 MIL. BUDGET PLAN; AUBURNDALE
Author: MERISSA GREEN
AUBURNDALE -- The city's residential growth spurt has shaped what the proposed $26 million
budget will look like for the next fiscal year. New employees, equipment, a new community
center and the construction of a water plant are planned for 2006-07.
City Manager Bobby Green presented the budget to the City Commission at Monday night's
meeting, and the commission will discuss the budget during workshops in August.
Green said that the proposed budget reflects the demand to keep up with growth but not at the
expense of the current taxpayers. "We're growing in annexation at every meeting, and at the
same time the services need to be provided," he said. "(The budget) works real hard to not
maintain but to improve the level of services we provide."
City officials still need to tweak a few numbers for the major capital improvements that will be
paid for in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. Green said he's seeking financing for
such items like the new water plant. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us before we get to the
final product," Green said. "We've got to determine to what level we need to make the
improvements, the cost of the improvements, how we fund those improvements and what the city
can afford."
Commissioners have already seen the upcoming fiscal year's figures last year when Green
presented a two-year budget for the first time. They also know what the budget is expected to be
for 2007-08. One of the most important reasons for doing this is so the commission can give
more attention to the future needs of the community and to figure out how the city's resources
will be used to meet those needs, Green said.
The 2006-07 budget contains spending proposals for these capital improvements:
$171,000 for the Police Department, including equipment for a new canine officer and
the purchase of patrol vehicles.
$2.2 million for Parks and Recreation, including the construction of a new community
center, two trucks and the purchase of a parking lot for the Senior Center.
$5 million for public utilities, including the construction of a water plant and water line
extensions.
$494,500 for public works, including new sanitation trucks, trash cans, sidewalk
replacements and road improvements on Palmetto Street at Bridgers Avenue.
$385,000 for the Fire Department, including a fire pumper and boat.
The city expects to collect $3.5 million in property taxes.
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