http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-892829.mp3
Kansas City, Mo. – Kansas City, Missouri has an official city budget for the year beginning May first.
The $1.2 billion in spending the council approved preserves basic city services. But parks and boulevard medians will be mowed less frequently and fees for water, sewers and extra trash bag stickers will go up.
There's a property tax increase, but most owners won't feel it because it's designed offset lower property values.
Councilman Terry Riley says it was a remarkable year for citizen input. "There was more participation than ever before, and the council responded to it," Riley commented.
Riley his colleagues said the council responded by finding some funding for things like the Jazz Museum and free house paint for low-income homeowners.
There's one area where the council admits they didn't budget enough: street maintenance. But they believe the city manager can juggle some funds and come up with another ten million dollars, making the streets budget larger than last year's.