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Bel Aire budget calls for no tax increase
By Matt Heilman
Last Updated: July 19, 2012

What a difference a year makes. The City of Bel Aire still has a long road ahead of it before its steep debt is in the rearview mirror. But a combination of land sales and tough decisions made last year has the city in much better position in preparing its 2013 budget.

At its July 17 meeting, the Bel Aire council unanimously approved a draft of the 2013 budget that doesn't call for a tax increase. The city's portion of the mill levy was set at a maximum of 46.118 mills. From this point, the city can lower its portion of the mill levy from 46.118 mills, but it can't raise it.

The total property taxes Bel Aire residents are projected to pay in 2013, including the city's portion, plus the school district, fire protection and Sedgwick County is 153.598 mills. This number mirrors the total mark for 2012.

Last year, the city approved a property tax hike of 6.839 mills from 2011, which meant that the owner of a $100,000 house will pay about $79 more in city taxes by the end of this year than in 2011.

Last year's budget also included cuts of about $745,000. Hit especially hard was the police department, which lost three full-time officers and a full-time police clerk as a result of the cuts.

While the city isn't in a position to scale back to its pre-2012 mark for the 2013 budget, city leaders seemed satisfied with keeping the mill levy no worse than stable, at least for now.

City Manager Ty Lasher credited the council and resident input last year for helping the city get to a point where it could manage a 2013 budget without asking residents to dig deeper into their pockets.

On July 17, Bel Aire Finance Direct or Michelle Meyer guided the council through the proposed 2013 budget in a powerpoint presentation. She said the city is still looking for ways to cut costs and reorganize without impacting services.

The budget proposes adding one full-time officer to the police department, dropping a part-time accounting tech position and consolidating a police and court clerk into one position.

The budget also leaves room for a few equipment upgrades, including a new mower for the park's department and a utility vehicle for the rec commission staff.

The projected revenue in the general fund is slightly down from the previous year in the proposed budget and expenses in the water, sewer and street funds slightly exceed revenues. But the city is well off enough to avoid another tax hike in 2013, which was the goal going into the budget process.

“What a difference from last year," Mayor Harold Smith said.

Also July 18, the council:

•Approved an appropriations ordinance of $202,434.05.

•Approved an ordinance creating a community improvement district in the proposed downtown district that primarily will run north form Rock Road starting near City Hall.

The CID calls for the issuance of a 2 percent sales tax implemented only at businesses that open in the district. The revenue from the tax will go back into the district to fund improvements and economic development. Peggy O'Donnell reluctantly joined her fellow council members in approving the ordinance. She said she is fundamentally against such incentives, but understands the city needs to sell the land.

•Approved a revised economic development policy, which makes a couple technical changes to the current policy now that the city is actually in a position to sell some land

•Approved an ordinance to allow the city to create a transient guest tax or a “bed tax" 

The proposed 6 percent tax would be enforced at any hotel or motel that could someday be built in Bel Aire. The tax would be returned to the city to use for economic development and wouldn't be limited to the proposed community improvement district. 

•Approved a preliminary and final plat for about 130 acres of the Sunflower Commerce Park, which is the name given to Bel Aire's approximately 800 acres of industrial park land. Century Manufacturing is the first tenant committed to building on the land.

•Approved a $98,638 proposal from TranSystems for engineering services for Phase I of the Sunflower Commerce Park

•Approved the purchase of a used Crown Victoria police vehicle for $14,000 to replace an old, high mileage vehicle

•Approved a resolution requesting the Chisholm Creek Utility Board address questions and concerns of board members relating to the contracts between Bel Aire and Park City, the two cities in the CCUA. The board consists of three members from each city who have had disagreements on how much each city should pay for its share of the water provided by the CCUA. 

•Agreed to establish a public hearing for 7 p.m. Aug. 7 to consider issuing industrial revenue bonds for Century Manufacturing and The Concierge Surgical Recover Center, a business that has committed to build in Bel Aire's Tierra Verde development near 47th North and Webb Road.

•Approved an ordinance authorizing the Public Building Commission to execute land sales in the city

•Approved council member Gary Breault to replace Dr. Teresa Reynolds on the CCUA board. Reynolds is resigning from her post after eight years in part because of her full work schedule. Reynolds agreed to still be available as an alternate to the CCUA board.

All five council members were present at the July 17 meeting. 





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