Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council briefed on final 2025 budget amendments; insurance premium tax and hotel‑motel receipts higher than budgeted
Summary
Interim Finance Director Amanda Long proposed final 2025 budget amendments including an extra $111,000 adjustment tied to $1.8M insurance premium tax receipts (42.8% of which is due to Douglas County fire service), hotel‑motel tax increases and reallocations to cover higher customer card fees, custody‑of‑prisoners costs and water purchases. Council placed the amendments on the consent agenda.
Amanda Long, interim finance director, presented proposed final amendments to the 2025 budget and explained the major drivers.
Long said insurance premium tax receipts totaled $1,800,000; because 42.8% of that amount is due to Douglas County for fire service the city underbudgeted and needs an increase of $111,000 to both revenue and expense lines to reflect the distribution. She also noted hotel‑motel tax and customer service credit‑card fee revenue exceeded projections and requested reallocations including a $40,000 adjustment to cover customer service needs. Custody of prisoners and water purchases ran over budget but were offset by higher related revenues in the water fund.
Long described credit‑card transaction volumes (about 3,365 transactions in the month sampled) and explained that in the city’s mix the percentage fee was lower than a per‑transaction flat fee approach, so staff recommended not charging utility customers a per‑transaction convenience fee. Council asked clarifying questions about revenue sources and approved placing the amendments on the consent agenda for the upcoming Tuesday meeting.
