by James Coulter
A bigger city budget with an emphasis on revitalization through Lake Wales Connected will be on the table for review with its first reading this evening at 6pm.
Lake Wales City Commissioners will be voting on the first reading of next fiscal year’s budget at their regular meeting and budget workshop tonight. They previously reviewed the proposed budget during their CRA and city commission workshops last week.
The budget is projected to have a millage rate of 7.0462 mills, which is the current year rolled-back rate, and a total balance of $107,822,344.
The general fund revenue is estimated to see an increase of $2,912,842. This increase is due to an increase in ad valorem tax ($209,537) and sales tax ($581,000), as well as an increase in licenses, permits, intergovernmental revenues, and other miscellaneous revenue.
Meanwhile, general fund expenditures are estimated to be $22,807,877, which is $2,152,788 more than last year’s budget. This increase is due to an increase in various governmental services.
Most notably, the city has experienced an increase in public safety expenses of $1,270,893 mainly due to personnel costs for police ($745,899) fire, ($192,550), and code enforcement ($31,085).
Finance Director Dorothy Abbott wrote that next year’s budget will include various projects with an emphasis on implementing the “award-winning” Lake Wales Connected plan, which will “include affordable housing construction, housing rehabilitation, development incentives, and capital construction.”
Several significant projects include $750,000 for city street resurfacing, $150,000 for streetlight improvements, and $150,000 for restriping designated city streets.
Other notable projects include:
• $896,593 for the T Hangar and Taxi Lane B rehabilitation at the city’s airport.
• $200,000 toward road rehabilitation in the Lake Wales Cemetery.
• Extensions to the water transmission mains to newly developed areas of the city.
• Construction of the Crystal Lake Park North Trail segment, which will tie into the Park Avenue Connector Trail and create a full recreational trail loop around Crystal Lake.
• $400,000 to complete the athletic field lighting at the soccer complex in addition to other improvements.
The Lake Wales City Commission will be hosting its budget workshop and regular meeting this evening on Wed. Sep. 3 at 6 PM at City Hall, located at 201 W. Central Ave., Lake Wales, FL 33853.
