City OKs $10,270,407 budget; no tax increase included

Without debate, Gaffney City Council gave its blessing Monday to a $10,270,407 budget for 2008 that holds the line on taxes.

The spending plan is about $500,000 less than last year's $10.8 million budget.

Gaffney Administrator James Taylor traces the budget decrease to a reduction in grants.

In May, proposed expenditures outpaced projected revenues by about $550,000 in the new budget. But Taylor and the finance committee slashed budget requests to offset the deficit.

The budget contains some capital expenditures, including a $100,000 knuckle-boom truck for the public works department and hydraulic equipment for the maintenance shop.

Although it's not included in the budget, Taylor said special revenue likely will be used to purchase police cruisers.

Council had considered increasing employee Christmas bonuses from $500 to $1,000, but opted instead to give a 2 percent cost-of-living raise.

Hard work by city employees resulted in an $80,000 reduction in the city's workman's compensation costs, Taylor said. That helped to offset a $100,000 increase in projected fuel costs.

Last year, council approved a $10,881,663 spending plan that included a 4-mill tax hike.

Another reading and a public hearing are needed before the new budget goes into effect July 1.