The city of Des Moines has carried over $309,712 less from 2007 than planned, city council members were told April 24.

City Manager Tony Piasecki said he has to sit down with Finance Director Paula Henderson to figure out how, or if, this will affect the budget for 2009 which will be based on the 2007 year end financial report as well as projected income for 2008.

In the fall of 2007, the year-end balance was projected to be $1,370,813. When all the final balances were totaled in the spring of 2008, the actual balance was only $1,061,101.

Henderson attributes the shortfall in revenues to projected income from $84,500,000 in construction projects that have been delayed. Without the income from inspection and zoning fees on these projects the city only brought in 60 percent of what was budgeted from development projects.

Helping to offset this lack of planned revenue, and fund the city's $17,767,741 in expenditures for 2007 were increased revenues from sales taxes, utility taxes and franchise fees on solid waste collection and cable operator fees.

Sales taxes totaled $2,163,377, which was $252,079 more than in 2006.

An increase in the tax rate of electricity and natural gas helped to increase the city's income from utilities by 10.8 percent or $283,125, for a total of $2,903,365.