By Lindsay Peyton

The proposed operating budget for Burien for 2017-2018 would allow the city to increase staff – adding positions previously eliminated during the last economic downturn.

The new positions were among a number of recommendations to improve city services made when finance director Kim Krause presented the budget plan during the city council’s regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 3.

She explained that the process of creating the budget began on Aug. 1, with a public hearing and general budget discussion, as well as a presentation of the financial policy, which was updated earlier in the summer.

Estimated revenues for the 2017-2018 general fund total $51.6 million. Sales tax accounts for 35 percent or $18 million of the revenues.

Krause said sales tax revenues represent a 12 percent increase over the 2016 budget and explained that automobile sales mainly account for this growth.

Property tax accounts for 27 percent, or $13.75 million, of the revenues.

The budget includes a 1 percent property tax increase, proposed during the financial policy update.

“Council will need to adopt a resolution declaring substantial need,” Krause said.

Other revenue sources include utility taxes, planning and permitting fees, gambling tax, business and occupation tax, franchise fees, and parks and recreation fees.

Additional revenues are drawn from the transportation benefit district fund. There has been a proposed $10 increase in the car tab fee, which would bring the total cost to $20 per vehicle, netting $350,000 annually.

This funding would support the city’s goal to improve pavement conditions.

“This is about two thirds of the amount recommended to maintain our current pavement conditions,” Krause said. “The longer we wait to fully fund it, the more we will have to fund in the future.”

The majority of the city’s expenditures in the 2017-2018 budget are reserved for police, jail and court – a total of $27.95 million, or 53 percent.

General government is the second highest expense, at $12.94 million or 24 percent. Parks and recreation would receive $6.5 million or 12 percent, while community development would gain $4.2 million or 8 percent. For public works, $1.3 million, or 3 percent of the budget, would be reserved.

“The proposed budget includes a few new positions – two in police, a sergeant or officer/detective,” Krause said.

She explained that a recently received federal grant would cover a portion of the costs for these positions.

Police Chief K. Scott Kimerer said the news of the award came earlier that day. He explained the department will receive $125,000 for a three-year period per officer -- for up to three positions.

“We were one of 184 jurisdictions in the entire U.S. to receive this grant,” he said. “There were only four in the state of Washington. We did pretty well in the grant application process. There was a need, and we were able to express that. The good news is we have to opportunity to provide some of the funding for these positions.”

The city’s budget would also allow for the addition of a senior planner, human resources technician and maintenance worker.

The budget would also expand current part-time positions for parks maintenance worker, front desk assistant and geographic information systems to full-time positions – and allow more time for an arts program coordinator.

The budget reserves funds for technology upgrades amounting to $2.1 million, covering the financial, permitting and telephone systems, as well as meeting room technology, agenda management software and a web site upgrade.

“Much of the city’s technology is more than a decade old and in need of replacement,” Krause said.

Economic development priorities in the budget would cover the expenses involved with branding, mobility study implementation and an urban center.

The Arts is Public Places Fund would receive $15,000 annually, while Human Services Funding would get $320,000 a year. Funds would also be reserved for teen programs.

With this preliminary budget, Krause explained that revenues slightly exceed expenditures for the biennium.

In 2020, the city loses its annexation tax revenues, which will lead to expenditures exceeding revenues.

“That gap gets a little bit bigger as the years progress,” Krause said.

She said if 100 percent of the property tax were reallocated to the budget to make up for the loss of the annexation tax, then the budget would remain balanced.

Currently, 90 percent of the property tax goes to general fund, while 10 percent is reserved for capital expenses.

“Being able to look down the road is a very important thing,” City Manager Kamuron Gurol said. “We’re looking out two and three bienniums to make sure our financial position remains prudent. This city is in a comparatively strong position financially.”

Council member Nancy Tosta questioned the addition of police positions.

“I’m struggling with that,” she said. “It seems like were talking about adding $400,000 to our police contract.”

Tosta believes that code enforcement could use additional staff – and also feels the city would benefit from a social services director.

“We’ve seen a lot of complaints about our ability to manage problems in town,” she said. “Where do we have a discussion about what the positional needs might be?”

Mayor Lucy Krakowiak suggested creating a matrix to examine how adding or removing various positions would affect the budget.

“We’re going to have some robust discussion of ideas,” she said.

The budget review will continue during the next city council meeting, slated for 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 17 at the City Hall building, 400 SW 152nd St., in Burien Town Square.

At that time, Krause plans to present the capital improvement budget as well as human services and arts grant funding requests.

“We have a couple of months to talk about the budget,” Krause said.

On Monday, Nov. 7, the city council will hold another public hearing on the proposal and host a discussion on property tax.

On Monday, Nov. 21, the budget discussion continues, as well as the adoption of the property tax levy, surface water management rate and transportation benefit district fee increase.

Krause hopes the budget will be approved by early December – but said the final deadline is Saturday, Dec. 31.

For more information, visit http://burienwa.gov.