Florissant Mayor Lays Out $32.8 Million Proposed Budget

It's that time of the year again. The mayor and city council are faced with approving a budget for the 2014 fiscal year.

Florissant Mayor Tom Schneider discussed his proposed $32.8 million budget to with the Florissant City Council before residents and business owners at last week's meeting. To view the budget, click here.

The proposed budget is just under $32,859,260, a little over $1.2 million more that the 2013 budget of $31,618,802. The city’s fiscal year runs from Dec. 1 through Nov. 30.

In his budget message Schneider said there will be no pay increase for city employees. He said the city is not in a financial position to give across-the-board wage increases.

The city will pay 100 percent of employee health care premiums; however, it will only fund 25 percent of employees' dependent premiums. Schneider said in the summary that premiums are projected to increase 11.5 percent. 

“The economic situation continues to present challenges,” Schneider said. “Sales tax, our single most important revenue source, is virtually flat. 

Schneider also said the city's other major revenue sources—gasoline tax and utility tax—are wither on the decline or flat, respectively. 

The proposed budget used about $1.6 million from the general fund reserves. This leaves the reserve balance of $7.7 million, or 31 percent of the budget.

Other highlights of the budget include:

• Several positions currently below their starting pay grade will be brought up to grade

• No part-time person will be regularly scheduled more than 29 hours per week in an effort to avoid providing health care as the Affordable Care Act requires beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

• The budget includes $662,000 for vehicles, $123,000 for mowers, $55,000 for a park pavilion, and $74,000 for fitness center equipment.