Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) Mayor Mike Huether submitted a proposed 2016 budget of $471 million to the City Council today, which would be the largest in the City’s history. The budget keeps pace with the city’s strong growth while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
The budget priorities for 2016 include:
- · Take care of what we already have
- · Stay one step ahead of growth
- · Tackle tough issues
- · Capture long-awaited opportunities/needs
“Prioritizing needs versus wants is critical if we are going to keep Sioux Falls on solid financial ground,” says Mayor Huether. “This budget ensures we take care of what we have, stays ahead of the growth of our boomtown while always balancing our checkbook.”
The recommended 2016 budget adds 27 employees to the City’s team, including five new Police officers and two other public safety staff members.
In addition to general operating expenditures of $158.9 million, the budget includes funding the City’s investment in capital infrastructure and utility services. The capital program, submitted to the City Council last month, proposes to invest $133.2 million in 2016 into streets and utilities infrastructure, parks, and other projects and equipment.
“The investments we’ll make next year in our facilities, our infrastructure, and our employees will enable the City to continue to meet the public’s very high expectations,” says Tracy Turbak, Director of Finance. “It’s very gratifying to see how much the City team has accomplished in Sioux Falls over the past year and truly exciting to map out the accomplishments to be captured in the year ahead.”
The entire 2016 recommended budget is available at www.siouxfalls.org.