The 2018 City Budget session is underway in Junction City.

City officials are hoping to keep the property tax levy in 2018 similar to 2017.

“We want to keep the mil levy the same, and in order to keep the mil levy the same we have to cut expenses,” said City Manager Allen Dinkel. “Forty three percent of our tax dollars budget last year went to debt service.”

Dinkel noted that cuts can be made in Public Works for example, but debt service is a bill that cannot be cut. “We are going to have to cut some of our general fund by maybe $150,000 to $200,000 total over all the general fund items.”

The proposed current budget keeps sales tax revenues flat and includes a two percent cost of living increase for City employees. The proposed budget also includes $400,000 to clean the sewers and $1.1 million for street improvements.

“The sewer fund is not a tax fund so it’s a little different operation there; the $1.1 million, that’s what we’ve been doing in streets,” said Dinkel. “Hopefully we’ll get another KLINK project next year from 17th and Washington all the way over to Jackson and 18th Street; and hopefully we can do some other enhancements in street projects.”

Also included in the projected spending plan is an increase in Worker’s Compensation Insurance. That insurance increased by 40 percent this year and includes an 11 percent increase for 2018.

The City Commission will continue today with a series of budget sessions that begin Tuesday night. The Commission will not give final approval to a 2018 budget until August.