Livingston Approves First Reading Of Budget

Livingston’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen have approved first reading of a budget that will not raise property taxes to fund paving projects and an employee pay scale.

The budget approved Thursday night will give employees a 50-cent pay raise next fiscal year.

Alderman David Sadler III said he couldn’t vote to raise taxes after being voted out of office earlier this month.

“I’m all for paving and I’m all for the pay scale, but I’m not going to be there to work this budget,” Sadler said. “They [the new board members] ran and I just think it’s their responsibility to work this budget. I don’t want to make any major decisions and not be there to be held responsible for it.”

Mayor Curtis Hayes has proposed three budget options to the board that would raise property taxes in order to fund paving projects, the employee pay scale, or both.

Budget option A includes a 28-cent property tax increase and a 50-cent raise for city employees. This option would also increase taxes 8-cents next year and 8-cents the year after in order to fund the employee pay scale.

Option B would include a 28-cent tax increase for paving and a 50-cent raise for all city employees. Option D would raise taxes 44 cents to fund everything during the upcoming fiscal year.

The board voted for option C, which included no tax increase and only a 50-cent raise for all city employees.

All options include a 4-percent water rate increase for residents to help pay for a water line project