Schulze addresses budget for first time


November 30, 2012 · 11:20 AM

The Bainbridge Island City Council has been deliberating its next biennial budget over the past two months. It is expected vote on the budget in December.

With less than a month on the job, City Manager Doug Schulze addressed the council at its meeting Wednesday night, providing insights from a fresh look at the budget.

Schulze did not delve deep into details, but did make a few observations for the council to consider.

He first noted that the city is not charging allowed taxes on all utilities, and continued to say that the funding for community services is high for a city of Bainbridge’s size.

Schulze also commented on the council’s goal of funding island trails at $1 per islander, or $25,000. He said that the council could achieve this by reducing funding for public works equipment by $54,000.

Other money saving points made were that the city could save money by eliminating contract surveying by $20,000 in 2013 and in 2014, and also eliminating funding for the stairs in Waterfront Park.

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