Newton Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

PORTERDALE -- The Porterdale City Council is expected to hold the first and second readings of the town's proposed 2011 budget at the Dec. 6 council meeting, with the third and final reading to take place sometime in mid-December.

Before the council is a proposed $954,149 budget, which includes an ending fund balance of $30,500.

The budget projects total revenues of $973,233, compared to total revenues in 2010 of approximately $985,000.

Budgeted expenditures for 2011 total $954,149, with General Administration and the Police Department making up the bulk of the expenditures. Expenses broken down by department and by percentage of the total expenditures are as follows:

* General Administration: $236,621, 25 percent;

* Judicial: $40,152, 4.2 percent;

* Planning and Zoning: $26,079, 2.7 percent;

* Police Department: $491,175; 51 percent;

* Fire Department: $9,658, 1 percent;

* Public Works: $131,517, 13.8 percent;

* Culture and Recreation: $18,945, 2 percent.

Porterdale approved a $954,000 budget in December 2009 that anticipated a 3.5-mill increase in property taxes. In July, the city approved an amended budget and a corresponding millage rate increase from 9.156 mills to 17.518 mills to make up a $110,000 revenue shortfall.

Porterdale City Clerk Judy Johnson said the current proposed budget does not take into account possible decreases in ad valorem tax collections due to the recently approved $10,000 homestead exemption for owner-occupied residences in the city. Most of Porterdale's residences are rental properties.