FINAL VICTORIA BUDGET FOR 2005
ACCOMMODATING MANY AREAS OF GROWTH
After additional workshops and re-view, councilmembers adopted the Final Tax Levy for collection in 2005 and the 2005 General Fund Operating Budget.  Preliminary figures for 2005 had been adopted with a preliminary levy and bud-get this past September.
Changes since September are reflect-ed in various line items, in particular the amount of revenue projected for building permit fees - approximately $110,000 less -- and revenue returned from developers for engineering and legal services - about $70,000 less.
On the expenditure side of the 2005 budget, many line items were reduced from the preliminary budget, in particular the Planning and Zoning Dept -- $67,000 less; Building Inspection Dept -- $57,000 less; General Street Maintenance -- $13,000 less
Some line items increased from the preliminary budget approved in Septem-ber, in particular Animal Control -- $3,150 more - and Field House Operating Transfer - $49,000 more.
Total revenue and expenditures bal-ance each other at $3,084,848 in the final budget.  This is close to $200,000 less than projected in September.  However, it is still a substantial 27% increase over the city budget that was approved last year for 2004 ($2,417,419).
The total 2005 tax levy of $2,918,044 is a 19% increase from the levy approved last year for 2004 ($2,445,161).
Increases for 2005 have previously been identified as an additional $100,000 for a new police system, additional staff and benefits, contractual services - especially engineering and legal costs -- street maintenance, and field house expense.

ADOPTED FOR 2005
General Fund Operating Revenues
General Fund Property Tax      $2,322,769
Licenses and Permits                   $402,350
Inter-Gov't Revenue                      $45,513
Charges for Services                   $303,216
Miscellaneous Revenue                 $11,000
TOTAL REVENUES               $3,084,848

ADOPTED FOR 2005
General Fund Operating Expenditures
General Government
Mayor/Council                              $16,491
Administration                             $386,112
Finance                                        $148,301
Elections                                          $1,650
Professional Services                  $266,847
Planning and Zoning                   $140,717
Government Building                    $29,525
TOTAL General Gov't        $989,643

Public safety
Police/Sheriff                               $216,629
Fire Protection                             $277,731
Bldg Inspection Dept.                  $193,561
Civil Defense                                      $600
Animal Control                                $3,800
TOTAL Public Safety          $692,321

Public Works
General Maintenance/Streets      $531,999
Snow Removal                                $8,000
Street Lighting                               $42,500
Signal Lights                                   $1,200
Composting                                     $6,000
TOTAL Public Works          $589,699

Parks & Recreation
Recreational Activities                  $12,900
Field House Operating Transfer  $298,980
Park and Recreation                    $181,272
TOTAL Parks & Rec           $493,152

Miscellaneous                              $203,832
TOTAL EXPENDITURES      $3,084,848

Regarding the adopted final budget for 2005, Councilmember Mary Thun stated, "I think we have to look at what it means for an individual taxpayer."
In that regard, Finance Director Jylan Johnson submitted statistics, recognizing that these numbers do not take into account the annual increases in property valuations as assessed by the county, and also recognizing that much of a home-owner's property tax bill also includes county, school, and metro taxes.
Victoria 2005 city tax on a property is projected to be identical to the city tax collected in the year 2004, which is as follows:

*On a $200,000 home:  $822
*On a $300,000 home:  $1,233
*On a $400,000 home:  $1,643
*On a $500,000 home:  $2,054
*On a $600,000 home:  $2,568
*On a $700,000 home:  $3,081
*On a $800,000 home:  $3,595
*On a $900,000 home:  $4,109
*On a $1,000,000 home:  $4,622
*On a $1,500,000 home:  $7,190

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