Mayor Mark Asmundson presented his 2006 Preliminary Budget to the Bellingham City Council on September 19, saying he is "cautiously optimistic" about the city's finances.
"My proposed budget reflects a healthier financial picture than last year at this time," Asmundson said. "Careful actions by city staff and elected officials to reduce expenses and a robust local economy have combined to ease city financial challenges. Though the city has more work to do to ensure long-term financial health, the city's increasingly positive fiscal position allows us to propose strategic staffing additions to meet increasing demands for service. We also propose to tackle an array of capital projects in 2006 with funds that may be used only for expenditures related to capital facilities projects."
He said the 2006 Preliminary Budget proposes to fund key community priorities, provide a wide range of services that are requested and expected by our community, and contribute significantly to the high qualify of life that Bellingham residents enjoy.
