City manager says proposed homestead exemption could cut Stark's revenue by about $330,000

The city manager told the Stark City Commission that a preliminary budget package includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment with a 2% base and higher employee health-insurance estimates as staff prepares the fiscal-year draft.

The manager said a proposed state homestead-property-tax exemption could reduce the city's revenue by about $330,000 and described that figure as a key downside risk to the general fund. "What does that mean for us? That's a decrease in revenue about $330,000," the city manager said during the presentation.

Why it matters: the shortfall would force the commission to consider options such as spending reductions, deferring capital outlay or seeking alternative revenue sources. Commissioners pressed staff for more detail and asked for the full proposed budget in advance of a scheduled workshop so they can review it line-by-line.

Commission discussion focused on potential approaches and timing. Commissioners debated delaying capital projects, trimming operating budgets, and tightening contract spending. The manager described the slides comparing last year's budget to the current draft and highlighted capital items such as a newly built stage that affected last year's capital-outlay numbers.

Next steps: commissioners agreed to set one or more budget workshops (several suggested earlier-in-the-day sessions) and asked staff to provide the full proposed budget in advance. The commission did not adopt a final budget at the meeting.