Published December 5 2018
On Monday, the City Council unanimously adopted the 2019-20 Operating Budget and 2019-25 Capital Investment Program (CIP) plan. The action marks the conclusion of a process that began in March, encompassing seven council briefings and three public hearings.
The $1.7 billion budget includes $1.1 billion in operating costs, $72 million in special purpose expenditures and $535 million for the seven-year General and Utilities CIPs. The councilmembers touched on a number of highlights during their closing comments. Among them:
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Makes significant steps toward long-term fiscal sustainability through working with employees on health care costs, a 1 percent property tax increase and a new fire inspection fee;
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Increases police officers’ time in the community with the addition of non-commissioned staff and adds fire inspectors;
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Advances the City Council Vision priorities with targeted investments for the Grand Connection, affordable housing and smart city work;
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Reiterates the city’s commitment to environmental protection through support of the Environmental Stewardship Initiative;
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Adjusts Development Services rates to account for growth and Utility rates to replace aging infrastructure; and
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Meets many of the community’s infrastructure priorities, including all voter-approved levy projects.
Adopting the budget required the council to vote sequentially on nine ordinances and one resolution. Councilmembers voted 7-0 on each component, except for the ordinance raising property taxes by 1 percent or $9.50 per year for the median house value ($791,000) in Bellevue. Councilmember Conrad Lee was the only dissenting vote.
Full details on the 2019-20 Operating Budget and 2019-25 Capital Investment Program (CIP) plan can be found in the agenda packet materials.