Kauai’s $103.4M
budget sets record
LIHUE >> The Kauai County Council has passed a 5.8 percent budget increase for fiscal 2005 fueled by an 11.8 percent increase in property tax revenue.
The record $103.4 million budget, up from $97.7 million for the current year, is attributed in part to the addition of new police, fire and lifeguard positions.
It also includes money for raises for government employees set in statewide labor negotiations.
Tax collections, which have been climbing steadily for the past three years due to the rapid increase in property values, were trimmed considerably by a series of tax cuts.
Without the tax cuts, property tax revenue would have increased 29 percent in the fiscal year beginning July 1.
Instead, it will increase 11.8 percent to $53.1 million from this year's $47.5 million.