Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent has released what she describes as a “conservative” draft 2015 budget.

The total 2015 projected tax revenue (property taxes, sales taxes, business and occupation taxes and private utility taxes) in the General Fund is $23.048 million, approximately $984,000 more than 2014. Overall, the budget will increase from $34.4 million this year to $36.1 million in 2015.

“While we continue to believe that the economy has a made a turn for the better, and we continue to see slow but steady economic development within the city, it will still take a few years for the city’s revenues to realize these improvements,” said Lent. “As such, our revenue projections show little growth over the current and prior two years.”

Some of the standout items from the mayor’s draft General Fund budget include: the elimination of the city’s unique auditor position and office to be replaced by outside consultants; the addition of two firefighters, at a cost of $189,000, to reduce overtime costs; $99,000 in funding to acquire body cameras for police officers; and the addition of a cadet/volunteer program to help officers with routine tasks and attract non-traditional candidates from the community to join law enforcement.

Other General Fund changes include some $100,000 for contract assistance to update the city’s comprehensive plan to meet state requirements and the addition of a part-time seasonal laborer to help the parks department.

The mayor’s proposed 2015 General Fund budget anticipates an ending fund balance of $3,223,753 which is 8.6 percent of anticipated expenditures. The 8.6 percent is slightly above city’s target reserve requirement of 8.5 percent.

Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent has released what she describes as a “conservative” draft 2015 budget.

The total 2015 projected tax revenue (property taxes, sales taxes, business and occupation taxes and private utility taxes) in the General Fund is $23.048 million, approximately $984,000 more than 2014. Overall, the budget will increase from $34.4 million this year to $36.1 million in 2015.

“While we continue to believe that the economy has a made a turn for the better, and we continue to see slow but steady economic development within the city, it will still take a few years for the city’s revenues to realize these improvements,” said Lent. “As such, our revenue projections show little growth over the current and prior two years.”

Some of the standout items from the mayor’s draft General Fund budget include: the elimination of the city’s unique auditor position and office to be replaced by outside consultants; the addition of two firefighters, at a cost of $189,000, to reduce overtime costs; $99,000 in funding to acquire body cameras for police officers; and the addition of a cadet/volunteer program to help officers with routine tasks and attract non-traditional candidates from the community to join law enforcement.

Other General Fund changes include some $100,000 for contract assistance to update the city’s comprehensive plan to meet state requirements and the addition of a part-time seasonal laborer to help the parks department.

The mayor’s proposed 2015 General Fund budget anticipates an ending fund balance of $3,223,753 which is 8.6 percent of anticipated expenditures. The 8.6 percent is slightly above city’s target reserve requirement of 8.5 percent.