The Ketchikan City Council meets in special session Thursday to prepare for the 2016 budget process.
The work session will allow the Council to make some policy decisions that will help city management draft next year’s spending plan.
In a memo to the Council, City Manager Karl Amylon summarized some issues of interest related to the budget. They include:
- The traditional cost-of-living raises for non-union employees;
- Whether the state will continue to provide revenue sharing funds at the same level, or at all;
- Whether the state will continue to distribute cruise passenger head tax funds to communities;
- Whether to consider additional utility rate increases for KPU customers; and
- How to use the proceeds from a proposed tobacco tax, if it is implemented.
Also on Amylon’s list is the Ketchikan Public Library funding agreement between the city and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough. Some Borough Assembly Members have been pushing to reduce or eliminate library funding.
In his memo, Amylon asks the Council to consider options in case the borough eventually decides to cut off financial support for the library, which this year was about $400,000.
Thursday’s special Council meeting starts at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers. Public comment will be heard at the start of the meeting.
