The City of Seward’s tax asking for the coming year will remain relatively unchanged, with around $7 million in General Fund expenditures planned, and a total of $55.3 million across all city accounts.
City Administrator Greg Butcher and Finance Director Nick Wolf presented Mayor Josh Eickmeier’s proposed budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year to the city council on Aug. 16.
The budget will undergo a public hearing at the council’s Sept. 6 meeting, with a final version expected by Sept. 20. The hearing will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Municipal Building.
Overall, the city’s property tax ask is the same as last year.
Butcher said the proposed budget includes a decrease in the tax levy from 31.8 cents to 29.3 cents per $100 of valuation to offset a nearly 9% increase in property valuation.
Valuations increased from $576 million to roughly $626 million, according to a memo accompanying the proposed budget.
Eickmeier credited LB840 – a local option sales tax bill – for keeping the budget stable and allowing the city to keep its levy low.
“We have a lot of people that come into Seward that spend money that don’t own property,” he said. “We’re very fortunate where we are. We’re in a good place right now.”
Butcher said the city’s sales tax revenue has grown, in part because of online retailers who are now required to collect sales tax.
The proposed budget includes a 5% cost of living adjustment for salaries, based on inflation and a 5.9% Social Security adjustment. This is comparable to other municipalities, Butcher said.
Other highlights of the budget include:
• a 15% increase in wastewater rates to help offset the cost of a new $24 million wastewater facility, needed to expand capacity as Seward continues to grow;
• a 0% increase in overall electric rates after three years of rate increases (1.5% in 2020, 3% in 2021 and 3% in 2022);
• a 0% increase in water rates, despite water system upgrades. The city is using American Rescue Plan Act funds to replace its downtown water tower.
• an anticipated revenue of $350,000 from charging for rescue calls. Funds will go into a sinking fund for fire department use; and
• an increase of nearly $111,000 in police officer wages to keep pace with York, Lincoln and the Seward County Sheriff’s Office, whose wages have increased an additional $5 to $10 per hour over the past year.
