Zachary Council Approves Budgets

ZACHARY, La. (AP) — Zachary Mayor David Amrhein says the city expects to maintain healthy balances in its general and utilities funds next fiscal year, despite slow revenue growth, escalating expenses and unfunded state mandates.

In his budget message for the fiscal year that begins July 1, Amrhein said the state continues to put more unfunded mandates on municipalities, leaving cities to fund their budgets with fewer dollars.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/Lnw1IR ) the city council adopted the new budgets Tuesday, estimating that general fund revenues will be $11.73 million and expenses amount to $11.2 million.

Capital projects funded through the general fund will increase expenses to $12.3 million, resulting in a reserve balance decrease from $6.47 million to $6.17 million.