Walhalla’s new budget and the implications
Mayor Tim Hall is speaking to 101.7/WGOG NEWS about Walhalla’s next budget, calculated at $17 million and which received preliminary approval during this week’s city council meeting. It’s a budget reflecting three percent pay raises for employees and the rising costs brought on by inflation. To help generate the revenues, Walhalla projects a 6% increase in property taxes – the first such increase since around the turn of the 21st century. The base rate on water charges will increase by $3 dollars and with those monies the water department is to employ an additional crew of three employees. In a strategy toward employee retention, Walhalla will now offer an additional pay raise amounting to five percent for those workers on their 5th year anniversary of work. And Hall says that 5% longevity jump will kick in later corresponding five-year anniversaries.