The city council Tuesday night unanimously passed the city's $413 million operating budget for 2023 with no comment from councilors nor the public.
The budget — which is a roughly 5.74% increase from the 2022 budget of $391.77 million — passed on the second and final reading. A public hearing was called but no one spoke up.
The budget is balanced and includes a 6% boost in water rates, an average increase of 12% in storm drainage rates and an average increase of 4% in electric rates that were previously approved by the city council.
At least $34.14 million in accumulated fund balances will be drawn down in 2023, primarily to meet capital improvement needs, according to the budget message.
The city’s 2023 classification and pay plan for employees calls for a minimum of 6% pay increase for “open range employees,” —or those employees other than public safety and electric line positions — officials told the city council in September.
Also, for those positions that are 6% behind market, the market gap would be covered up to an additional 6% for an additional total range increase of up to 12%, the city said.
City Manager Harold Dominguez said the demands of the market are forcing Longmont and other communities to reward employees and make other moves to make working for Longmont more attractive. “I think the market is moving faster than I’ve ever seen it,” he said in September.
However, longtime environmental activist Shari Malloy criticized the budget in September for including almost 29 new FTE, or full time equivalent, positions and pay hikes for employees but no new positions for the city’s Natural Resources program.
The additional personnel were needed to protect Longmont’s overrun open spaces and parks, Malloy told the city council in September.
