Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams used his State of the City address on Thursday night to proposed a nearly nearly $150.5 million fiscal year 2015 budget. That's a 3.5 percent increase over the current fiscal year.
To offset the increased spending, Williams is asking for a 9.9 percent property tax increase that is expected to cost the average taxpayer about $79 per year.
Williams cited just under $2.5 million in debt service, pension costs, and mandated salary increases as the driving factors behind the need for additional revenue. But he is also seeking $200,000 for the Cure Violence program, which seeks to reduce street violence by using outreach workers to interrupt potentially violent situations, and $250,000 to demolish vacant properties in order to prevent crime and promote economic development.
City officials estimate that without a tax increase, the city would have to lay off about 100 people over the next four years.
“Forced to chose between eliminating city services through massive layoffs or raising tax revenue, I made a gut wrenching decision," said Williams speking before City Council. "The decision to raise revenue taxes is never easy, no mayor wants to do this. In leadership positions you make difficult decisions, it must be made.”
Williams’ budget also includes an 8 percent increase in the water and sewer rate and a 7 percent increase in the storm water utility rate.
City Councilman Samuel Prado says he understands the city’s budget issues, but fears higher taxes could cause an exodus.
“We can’t have the people with the resources leaving. That’s the only reason why Wilmington isn’t Camden or Chester is because we still have a middle class population and an upper income population that keeps the economic engine going in this town," said Prado. "If we start to over tax, those people leave, the jobs leave, the stability leaves and we become a dying city.”
Councilman Darius Brown says he generally supports the mayor’s crime fighting proposals, but adds there are other needs to consider as well.
“Looking at how we engage African American, Hispanic, Minority males in the city of Wilmington to put them on a different path so they can have a better trajectory of upward mobility, completing high school, earning their GED and obtaining employable opportunities here in the city of Wilmington,” said Brown.
Others were left wanting.
"I do think that the mayor is committed to public safety I would just like to see a more aggressive approach," said Prado. "I'm not sure I heard that tonight."
Williams noted that shooting crimes have decreased crediting the an increase of police officers patrolling on foot as well as a new sector deployment strategy and additional patrols in the downtown area.
City Council will begin considering Williams' spending plan next month.
