Council opens budget talks

In the first round of budget talks Wednesday, City Councilor Bill Knobloch tapped an old cliche.

“The devil is in the details,” he said to city staff, regarding the omission of some detail that was included in last year’s budget materials.

Based on the information at hand, Councilman Bob Scales didn’t know where the devil – if one exists – might be lurking in the city’s draft 2008 budget.

“I don’t know enough to know what I don’t know,” he said, glancing at the packet in front of him. “I have nothing to work with here.”

Thus, councilors first request Wednesday was for more detail as they begin their work honing the $55.3 million budget. Notably absent, Scales said, were “decision packages” given to councilors in years past that detailed specific budget decisions. In their effort to streamline the budget process – which have sometimes been encumbered by an excess of information – staff left the packages out this year.

Scales and others wondered why.

“Unless we can see what is new, I’m at a loss to what to do with the budget,” he said.

Monday’s abbreviated budget session kicked off with public comment. Several people spoke about the importance of affordable housing; others stressed caution.

“The perception in the community is that this government is broken,” said Eagle Harbor Drive resident Steve Keller. Efforts should be made to change that, he continued, “before you make multi-million dollar decisions with our money.”

Ground rules for the budget process were set Wednesday, as was a tentative all-day budget meeting on Dec. 5. The rest of the budget discussion will take place at workshops prior to regular City Council meetings.

Councilors said the city’s six-year Capital Facilities Plan process should unfold alongside the budget, since the two are intertwined. They also had questions about the operating budget, and whether the city should be spending as much as it is on outside contractors.

“I want to know how to keep the lights on and how much it’s going to cost,” said Councilwoman Debbie Vancil, “before I go shopping.”

– Chad Schuster

Don’t forget your taxes

The lines at the Kitsap County Treasurer’s Office in Port Orchard are getting longer as people queue up to pay the second half of their property tax bill.

“It’s important that property owners pay their taxes in full by Oct. 31,” said Treasurer Barbara Stephenson. “After then, it starts accruing penalties and interest, and that is an expensive mistake.”

Property owners have the option to pay either half or all their taxes by the end of April.

Those choosing to pay half must pay the remainder by the end of October.

People may choose to defer payment and keep the interest rather than donating it to the county, but this averages out to a yield of $5 per $1,000 for each interest percentage point earned.

The advantage of paying the entire bill, Stephenson said, is that you don’t forget to pay the second half.

“We send out reminder cards to people who request them,” she said. “But we don’t send out reminders to everyone who owes half of their taxes because it would be cost prohibitive.”

Stephenson said the division is close, with about 51 percent of property owners choosing to pay their tax bill all at once.

Stephenson said property owners need to be aware of any changes in their own account occurring over the past year.

For instance, if they refinance their homes they need to know whether the lender is still responsible to pay the bills. And if a mortgage is paid off the taxes are still due at the same time.

Property owners have a range of options in paying their bills. There is a mailed check (must be postmarked Oct. 31 or before), an e-payment, drop off at the office (before 4:30 p.m. Oct. 31) or with a Master Card or Visa (a finance charge is assessed).

For more information, call (360) 337-7135 or go to www.kitsapgov.com/treas/.

ASB magazine sale under way

If each student at Bainbridge High School sold just one magazine subscription as part of the annual Associated Student Body magazine sale, the organization would bring in over $30,000 to help fund leadership activities, clubs, athletics and other student functions.

The sale, which began Oct. 11 and runs through Oct. 29, has been in place since 1987, under the sponsorship of the National Community Services Reading at Home program.

“All of the money earned will come back to the students in one way or another,” student leadership teacher Annette Duvall said. “This money helps supplement ASB card sales and funds leadership activities, clubs, athletics, and other student functions that receive ASB funds.”

Like other school fund-raising efforts such as the yearly Sally Foster gift wrap sale organized by Bainbridge Island School District elementary schools, the magazine sale nets the BHS ASB a percentage of gross sales – in this case 50 percent.

BHS students last year sold $24,906 worth of subscriptions, netting over $12,400 for various programs. Organizers have also built incentives into the program – prizes, pizza and ice cream parties among them.

For information about the magazine sale program, contact Duvall at aduvall@bainbridge.wednet.edu.