The Pella City Council has outlined their budget priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.

Assistant City Administrator Corey Goodenow tells KNIA/KRLS News the city’s property tax levy will remain the same for the 17th straight year at $10.20 per $1000 of valuation. However, he says due to upcoming projects the council has identified as major priorities in their five year plan, that rate may go up in the coming years.

Overall, the city has budgeted for approximately $39 million in expenses, including salaries, utilities, all departments, electricity from Missouri River Energy Services, and $6.1 million in capital improvement projects. He says those include $430,000 for expansion of the Pella Sports Park, $350,000 for a new trail connecting to Vermeer Corporation. Outside funding requests of giving 55% of the Hotel-Motel Tax to the Pella Convention and Visitors Bureau and maintaining a $30,000 payment to the Pella Area Community and Economic Alliance were also given the green light. All action items will have to be formally approved by the Pella City Council in Fiscal Year 2019, which begins July 1st of this year.

Hear more about the City of Pella’s 2019 proposed budget on Friday’s Let’s Talk Pella. A public hearing will be held on March 6th to finalize the spending plan.