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Galesburg has tentative balanced budget, public safety pensions leading minor tax increase

The City of Galesburg’s tentative budget for next year looks to be balanced with the help of $170,000 from reserves.Galesburg aldermen worked toward a consensus on the 2019 spending plan Friday afternoon

The budget projects revenues increasing 8 percent, with City Manager Todd Thompson saying much of that is because of one-time capital projects as opposed to operational costs that will continue.

Most of sources of local revenue have grown steadily too.

“The income tax, sales tax and overall tax, we’re pleased, those are going up,” Thompson says. “Video gambling we project will go up a little bit more as well. We do have some revenues that are decreasing other time. Telecommunication fee is one of those.”

Personnel expenses are expected to be much lower, without any positions paid out of the General Fund being eliminated.

That’s largely due to a switch from a state health insurance program to Blue Cross Blue Shield for city employees that’s expected to save $1 million next year.

It’s being proposed that the city spend 11 percent less than what’s actuarially recommended on police and fire pensions but 5 percent more than what the minimum contribution mandated by the state.

The council is planning on another budget work session in November, with a vote on passage expected in December.

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