Iola City Council members will continue tonight discussions on the city’s 2017 spending plan, which is due in August.
The council is working to erase a projected $800,000 budget shortfall for next year.
Several options have been discussed, including delaying street repair projects; removing equipment reserve funds; ending the city’s relationship with Van Scoyoc and Associates, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm; and upping trash collection fees from $8.50 to $10.50 a month.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh has set up a budget with those steps, that still would require a property tax levy increase of about 2 mills, from 42.899 to about 44.899 mills.