The loss of a grant and other revenue, coupled with a last-minute addition of $5,000 to city salaries, caused the preliminary levy for Verndale city taxpayers to outpace last year's levy by more than 26 percent.
The Verndale City Council set the preliminary 2008 levy and 2008 budget at $167,455, a jump of more than $30,000 over 2007's $132,422.
The preliminary levy was set now, but could be lowered before a final levy for 2008 is adopted.
The council tacked on an additional $5,000 for possible salary increases, preferring to have the money to work with rather than come up short. That would be in addition to an increase in city salaries of an average of 3 percent, which had already been budgeted before the $5,000 addition.
"I don't think we've had a chance to consider the salaries," said council member Bruce Koppenhaver. "I don't think we want to put a box around ourselves at this point."
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The expiration of a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant of roughly $50,000 last year was responsible for a dip in the revenue numbers expected in 2008, although that $50,000 was also offset by the expense of purchasing a fire truck in 2007.
