Town Manager Ken Buchanan has presented a $41.6 million budget for council consideration for the 2013-14 fiscal year.

This is an increase of more than $10 million over the current fiscal year with much of that set aside for the reconstruction of Saguaro Boulevard.

The $8.2 million Saguaro project is contingent on approval of a bond measure going to voters in November.

The proposal also includes a $13.2 million General Fund budget for everyday operations. This is virtually unchanged from the current year.

The council begins discussion on the budget plan this evening, May 1, with a public open house at 4:30 p.m. and a council special session to begin at 5:30 p.m.

Additional budget discussions are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, if necessary.

The budget proposal includes $19.5 million in capital projects, which includes the $8.2 million for the Saguaro project, $2 million for the first year of the new pavement management program, $3.9 million for improvements and widening on Shea Boulevard from the eastern town boundary to Technology Drive, $1.6 million for the Avenue of the Fountains median improvements and $400,000 for traffic signal upgrades at Palisades and Saguaro boulevards.

There is also $285,198 allotted for implementation of the recently approved Economic Development Plan and $825,000 for Fountain Park Master Plan improvements.

The fire department has $420,000 in the budget for Fire Station No. 1 expansion, and $550,000 for replacement of an engine pumper.

General Fund

The department budgets included in the General Fund generally reflect reductions or modest increases over the current year.

Public safety services remain the largest portion of the General Fund budget ($6.6 million), roughly half of that budget.

This covers fire and EMS as well as law enforcement, both of which are covered by contract services.

The town’s contract with Rural/Metro for fire/EMS is in its final year and negotiations have begun to extend the agreement for another five years.

The fire and emergency programs budget is proposed at $3.475 million, a 6.7 percent increase.

Law enforcement is covered in a contract with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. The proposed budget for law enforcement is $3.1 million, 6 percent higher than this fiscal year.

Buchanan is recommending $15,000 be budgeted for a service agreement with the MCSO Posse. This is the same as the current year, but half what was requested.

The Municipal Court has a proposed budget of $364,171, nearly 10 percent down from the current year.

The court had a reduction of one staff person this fiscal year, which was part of the staff reductions to help offset the cost of the pavement management program.

The Administration budget proposed for next year is $2.1 million, a 4.3 percent decrease from 2013.

The Administration Department includes the fee for a service contract with Extended Hands Food Bank. Staff is proposing to reduce that allocation by one-half this fiscal year to $15,000.

Administration also includes economic development, which staff is proposing the town spend $90,240 from the General Fund to help implement the recently adopted Economic Development Plan. This is an increase of more than 500 percent from what was budgeted this current fiscal year.

This is in addition to the $285,198 from the Downtown Excise Tax for a total economic development budget of $375,438 (see separate story).

The proposed budget for Development Services is $1.8 million, a reduction of 8.2 percent.

The Street Department, funded by the state Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF), is being cut by about 11 percent in this budget proposal.

The street department has had a reduction of two personnel.

The Community Services department budget is proposed at $2.2 million, a slight 1.2 percent decrease from this current year.

Community Services also includes service contracts for the Boys & Girls Club and Fountain Hills Theater.

The budget proposal is to cut funding to these agencies by half to $40,000 for the Boys & Girls Club and $36,000 for the theater.

After the discussions over the next week, the budget schedule calls for the council to consider the tentative budget to establish the maximum at its regular session May 16.

Final consideration by the council, along with the final public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6. The new fiscal year begins July 1.