By Lee Reinsch
Correspondent

DE PERE – The De Pere Common Council passed the city’s 2022 general fund budget of $19,226,263, a 3.9% increase over the 2021 budget of $18,504,593 at its Tuesday, Nov. 16 meeting. 

The council also approved an overall tax levy of $15,386,809, an increase of 2.09% from the previous year. 

The levy includes $8,615,156 for the general fund, $4,049,205 for debt service, $1,742,276 for capital projects and $980,172 for the city’s tax incremental districts.

General fund revenues other than property taxes are projected at $10,611,107, an increase of 3.83% from the previous year. 

“This budget is structured to meet the needs and expectations of our community as we continue to provide municipal services during the second and third years of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayor James Boyd said.

The 2022 general fund budget includes: $10,009,148 for public safety; $2,720,375 for culture, recreation and education, $2,286,977 for public works; $1,977,854 for general government expenses, $406,254 for other general government expenses, $784,491 for solid waste and recycling; $584,564 for health and social services; $406,933 for conservation and development; and $49,667 for capital outlay.

Boyd highlighted a few things the budget will enable the city to accomplish. 

He said the budgets provides funding for: the Beautification Committee; first installment property tax collection at City Hall since Brown County ended the service; windows at City Hall; sustainability initiatives; financial incentives to promote economic development opportunities; improvements to parks and recreational areas; annual market based revaluations of assessable property; the Health Department to manage ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response; replace municipal equipment and vehicles; and more. 

New map approved

The council also unanimously approved a new aldermanic district map. 

The map divides up the four aldermanic wards into 23 districts instead of the current 18. 

Each ward has an approximately equal number of residents, and district boundary lines follow the center line of  streets.

District No.1 consists of wards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. 

District No. 2 consists of wards 6, 7, 8 and 9. 

District No. 3 consists of wards 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. 

District No. 4 consists of wards 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23.