KTKA

If the city commission passes the proposed 2010 budget that means an increase of $3.8 million for the city of Manhattan. It also means an increase for homeowners.

For a house valued at $229,000, that's $84 more in property taxes next year.

City staff has been putting together next year's budget since June, but they say Manhattan's growth brings pros and cons.

"We'll certainly have budget challenges because we have growth," City Manager Ron Fehr said.

Growth from Fort Riley and Kansas State University may be increasing the population, but they aren't increasing the spending. Manhattan's sales tax is down for 2009, but Fehr is hoping it will meet the 2 percent increase the city budgeted for 2010.

"That might be a little bit optimistic, because we're not there this year," he said.

Along with the projected sales tax increase, Manhattan is planning on a mil levy increase of 3 mils, something not all commissioners are excited about.

"There has been some commissioners that expressed no mil levy increase but to get there would take some drastic cuts," Fehr said.

He says they have reduced the capital improvement plan and paid for an extra pay period next year with this year's budget.

Tuesday night, the commission will hear from the public on their opinion of the 2010 budget and vote to approve it.

If the commission approves the 2010 budget, there will be a second reading in two weeks to finalize it.