While water rates are down in Charlottesville, other fee increases could be on the way if the City adopts its proposed 2003-2004 budget on April 11.
Tax raises. including doubled fees for trash removal stickers and a one cent per dollar increase in the meal tax, would go to fund cleanup of the Ivy Road landfill, hire four community policemen and repave several City streets, among other needs.
"The economy is going through a difficult time," City Budget Manager Katie Bullard said. "The City in some ways mirrors the national economy."
Charlottesville not only is receiving less money from the Commonwealth, but the dollars coming in from the sales tax and lodging revenue also have decreased.
"These fees were raised in order to make up for losses," Bullard said. "There are no new programs in the budget."
All City departments reduced their budgets and the remainder of the lost revenue will have to be covered by various increased fees.
"The City Manager is being very creative in proposing a budget that gets more at the real cost of things," Councilmember Blake Caravati said.
The City currently subsidizes trash removal and will continue to pay a portion of the cost even if the price of the stickers is doubled. The price increase is an attempt to move toward a self-sufficient trash and recycling program, Councilmember Rob Schilling said.
Money raised from trash removal would go toward cleanup of the Ivy Road landfill, as well as reducing the amount of revenue Charlottesville puts into trash pickup.
The budget also would add one cent to the meal tax, making it equal to Albemarle County's meal tax at four cents per dollar.
The $1.3 million yield from the meal tax increase would go to capital projects for improvement at schools and to repave roads around the City, including the Downtown Mall and West Main Street.
Other changes in the budget include removing pre-paid postage from parking tickets and increasing vehicle decal fees. The expected $20,000 yield would help fund the addition of four policemen to patrol local neighborhoods on a regular basis.
The budget also decreases real estate tax, Bullard said, since property taxes are the only revenue source that has increased.
Caravati stressed that money from the increased taxes would go to programs specifically targeted for Charlottesville.
"The big issue is that we will not replace any loss of state funding," he said. "If the state can't do that job then we won't do it for them."
Council members said they expect the budget to pass with few changes, although Schilling said he has concerns regarding the tax increases.
"I'm reasonably certain it will be passed," he said. "Ultimately it takes three votes to make those changes."
Council will vote on the budget April 11, after two public hearings. If passed by a majority of Council, the budget will go into effect July 1.
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