The proposed fiscal 2009 budget for the Lafayette Consolidated Government calls for expenditures some 15% higher than in 2008, fueled by projected increases in sales and property tax revenue for the combined city-parish government.
City-parish government officials said they expected sales tax collections to be up 10.5% over fiscal 2008, and property tax revenue is projected to increase by at least 28.8%. The budget must be approved by Sept. 30 for the fiscal year that begins Nov. 1.
The $635 million budget include $11.8 million for employee pay raises, $1 million for 31 new police cars, $500,000 for a new fire station, $2.4 million for parks, and $300,000 to design a new animal shelter that is expected to cost $4 million.
The proposed budget also includes $100,000 in discretionary roads and drainage funding in each of the nine council districts. The number of city-parish employees would go from 2,275 to 2,313, including 19 new positions in the police department.
The combined government’s debt is rated AA-minus by Standard & Poor’s and Aa3 by Moody’s Investors Service.
