Dunkirk budget moves forward

DUNKIRK — The city is one step away from having its budget for next year set.

Dunkirk City Council had a special meeting Monday to hold its public hearing for the 2021 budget.

The proposed 2021 budget is $1,760,045, which is a 2.03% increase from the proposed 2020 budget of $1,724,956.

Council member Bryan Jessup noted the similarities.

“Seems to me like it’s pretty close to what it was last year,” Jessup said.

Mayor Jack Robbins replied that the increase was mostly due to the 2% raise in employee wages for next year.

Other than Jessup’s remark, there were no comments from the public or from other council members.

The proposed budget breakdown is as follows: $1,330,247 in the general fund, $243,933 in motor vehicle highway, $78,000 in economic development income tax, $50,000 for local income tax, $26,915 in the police pension fund, $22,000 for local road and street, $5,000 for the rainy day fund, $2,000 for continuing education and $1,950 in the park fund.

Council gave its initial approval to the budget at its Sept. 14 meeting.

The last step in the budget process will come at council’s next regular meeting Oct. 12, when it is expected to approve the 2020 spending plan.