Raises for Ocala directors in new budget
By Susan Latham Carr, Ocala Star-Banner, Fla. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"It works out to about
With those additions, the estimated preliminary budget of
The proposed budget is
"We had a great year in the market," Kelley said before the meeting, explaining the increase over the current year.
There was a roughly
The city implemented a policy for the enterprise funds, which are departments of the city that earn money and are self-supporting -- like the electric utility, water and sewer, sanitation and telecommunication departments -- requiring them to have 25 percent in reserves. And the city will now limit the amount transferred each year from the enterprise funds to the general fund to 6 percent of gross revenues.
Also built into the budget is a 3 percent salary increase for full-time employees earning less than
Electric utility employees who recently received a market adjustment to their salaries will not receive the increase. Employees who received salary increases during the year because of promotions will receive the increase.
City Councilman
"I think that's a better carrot," Hilty said.
City Manager
The city manager, his cabinet and the police chief are the only city employees who will not receive a salary increase. Initially, the deputy police chief was excluded from any raises, but police Chief
"I don't have a cabinet," Graham told the council.
Councilman
"He hasn't received a raise in 10 years," Malever said.
Employee raises go into effect on
The city also will absorb employee health insurance increases. The city pays roughly
According to
The 2014-15 budget is balanced based on the rolled-back millage rate of 6.1638, or
The rolled-back rate is the percent that is used to raise the same amount of tax dollars in the coming year as the city currently collects.
At the current rate, a taxpayer with a house valued at
The first reading of the budget is scheduled for
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