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mandates and the expenses imposed on our citizens by the actions of state and federal government. Laws, rules, and regulations that are implemented each year that cause our local taxes and utility rates to increase, sometimes dramatically. We are keenly aware that our ability to generate additional revenues to meet these requirements is very limited and sometimes controversial. As city officials who take their responsibilities very seriously, we are often faced with difficult choices. It is essential that we cooperate with one another to reach consensus on these important issues that can have such an impact on our future. I believe that we should continue our efforts to invest in our community to improve the quality of life, to attract economic development, and to add to the accomplishments for which we have been recognized statewide in the past. At the same time, a desire has been expressed to hold the line on taxes and utility rates. With the growth in taxable value of new property being $25,678,740.00, yielding an additional $156,640.00 in income at one .hundred percent collection, it is difficult to make the appropriate and necessary investment in our infrastructure and in our most valuable resource,. our personnel, without an additional tax increase. The program of work submitted for your review and approval requires no increase in the ad valorem tax rate and does not require an increase in water and sewer rates at this time. I am proposing a General Fund budget with the ad valorem tax rate remaining at $.61 per $100.00 of valuation. No increases are proposed in the rates for water and wastewater. In reviewing the General Fund for 2001-2002, you will see that a total of $20,018,626.00 is budgeted for services with a budgeted contingency of $150,000.00. Of the total revenues to the General Fund, $1,454,135.00 or 6.99 percent is provided by grants, fees, or contributions that cover expenditures that might not otherwise be funded. A cost-of-Iiving increase of 2.7 percent is proposed in this budget. As always, additions and deletions of positions and changes in pay may be made throughout the year as appropriate, within budgetary limitations.