Approval Of FDL City Budget And Tax Levy Postponed

The Fond du Lac City Council Wednesday night voted to delay approval of the 2015 City Budget and tax levy. Speaking as residents of the City, State Senator Rick Gudex and State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt said they felt a 5.4 percent increase in the tax levy is too much to ask of City residents. Gudex urged the Council to use some of the projected $1.5 million in undesignated funds in the City’s fund balance to lighten the load. But Director of Administration Hal Wortman cautioned against using the entire $1.5 million saying the tax levy for debt service will continue to increase and the City could get into a cycle of ever increasing budget deficits, which would mean cutting services.The Council has already approved applying nearly $715,000 from the fund balance to the budget. The $22.8 million tax levy would mean a tax rate of $8.93 per thousand dollars of value on a property and increase of 45 cents or 5.4 percent.

Pictured City Manager Joe Moore.