The City Council approved a 6 percent electric franchise tax as part of its $11.9 million final budget.
Residents who use Spanish Fork City Power won't see a rate increase because the fees were recently restructured in anticipation of the franchise tax. Strawberry Electric Service District and Utah Power customers will start paying the 6 percent increase in August. Franchise taxes are used to augment the city's general fund, said city administrator David Oyler.Oyler said the city is in good shape and the budget isn't too different from last year's. Oyler noted building permits and inspections are expected to bring in $55,000 less than last year. The city is only planning to garner $125,000 from that area, he said, because those revenues depend on the housing market.
"To be on the conservative side, we're going to budget a little bit less," he said.
One of the biggest differences in the budget is a request for $100,000, as opposed to last year's $10,000, for remodeling to meet standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"The library will be the most expensive, and the senior citizens (center) will be expensive," Oyler said.
The library needs a wheelchair ramp leading to the street and may need to remodel the downstairs or add an elevator. Other public facilities, such as the ball parks and the memorial building, need minor remodeling, he said. Those things should be in place by January 1995.