By Bob Lindsey

The Hazelwood City Council last week approved  two referendums for placing two revenue generating measures before voters on the  Aug, 5^th ballot.

At its meeting earlier this month, the council  gave a first reading to a bill that calls for a one-fourth-cent increase in the city’s sales tax, which is now 8.613 percent. It will be used for  fire department operations, which currently has about a $4 million annual budget. At last week’s meeting the sales tax increase was approved as will be Proposition  S on the Aug. 5 th ballot

The original propsal for the Utility tax proposed to voters was for  six percent tax to be added to most residential utility bills. The amount was changed to 7 percent at the May 21^st meeting to accommodate a senior rebate program. It was approved  to appear as Proposition U on the Aug. 5^th ballot

City Manger Matt Zimmerman had said the city was trying to decide if both should be submitted for a vote, or just submit one.  The city has recently asked residents to respond to a survey on the city’s financial situation by going to the city’s website (www.hazelwoodmo.org) In the end, the city decided  to go for  both proposals on the Aug. 5^th ballot

Zimmerman  had said that city revenues  have lagged behind expenses in recent years and the city moved from a budget surplus to a budget deficit starting in 2012. The city is projecting a $1.6 million budget deficit for this year

It was estimated that the 6 percent increase in the utility tax would raise about $1.3 annually and quarter-cent sales tax would raise an additional $1.1 million.

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