The Tucson City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday on the budget recommended by the city manager for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
The budget submitted to the council by City Manager Mike Letcher this week included $17.4 million in new or increased taxes, including a tax on residential rental properties.
The budget can be read at tucsonaz.gov through a link in the right-hand corner.
The hearing is set for the council’s regular session meeting, which starts at 5:30 p.m. It will likely be moved to the end of the session.
Because large crowds are expected, the meeting will be held at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave.
During the study session that precedes the council’s regular meeting, the group will discuss some possible fee increases.
Tucson Water Department has asked the council to approve a 10 percent increase in revenue from water rates, though not an across-the-board 10-percent rise. The increase would hit hardest customers that use large amounts of water.
The hike, officials said, is due to customers using less water and fewer new customers. The department’s financial plan also accounted for a proposed increase in the utility tax and a proposed new tax that would function as a property tax on Tucson Water properties.
The new tax alone would send $1.6 million of what Tucson Water customers pay to the city’s general fund, the pool of money that pays police, fire and parks, among other services.
Another set of potentially higher fees could affect bus riders. On Tuesday, the council will discuss suggestions from the group assigned to review transit finances after questions arose last summer about whether a fare hike was necessary.
The task force recommended raising fares from $1 to $1.25 for a full fare trip, from $2 to $3 for a day pass and from $1 to $1.50 for express service. Letcher’s budget does not include a fare increase.
The council also will discuss the fees charged to developers who apply to extend their deadline for building based on approved plans and whether to amend the city charter to set police staffing levels and fire department response times.
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IF YOU GO
WHAT: City Council meeting
WHERE: Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave.
WHEN: Study session at 2:30 p.m.; regular session at 5:30 p.m.