It’s the citizens’ turn  to voice opinions and thoughts on the proposed new City of Washington budget for the forthcoming 2014-2015 fiscal year during a public hearing at Monday night’s meeting.

After hearing nonprofits and city employees needs and wants for the upcoming fiscal year, Washington City Council and Brian Alligood, city manager, put together the new proposed budget.

The group came together after a series of meetings in April to vote on what they thought were the best viable options.

Now, Washington citizens have the chance to look at the new 800-page proposed budget before Monday’s meeting online or at BHM Regional Library.

The city budget is expect to go down from last year, which was $78,513,942. This coming fiscal year, the council recommended it at $59,758,023, as listed on page seven of the budget summary.

“It kind of varies, (what we expect to hear) and it is the opportunity for the public having to review it (budget) online or at one of the places we have it,” Alligood said. “Either at the clerks office or at the library (they can) look at it and voice their opinions about the budget and whether they like the priorities the council has established.”

When the council hammered out the proposed budget, they did it so they would not have to raise any taxes.

“Right now the tax rate is the same. We haven’t changed the tax rate,” Alligood said. “So there is no change in taxes.”

For city employees, one of the items on the budget is the $250 end-of-year bonus they are expected to receive, as well as a potential merit increase.

Several nonprofit leaders came to the city and asked for help with funding — one is the North Carolina Estuarium, which was voted to potentially receive $20,000 from City Council.

Beaufort County Arts Council asked for $50,000, but had been funded during the 2013-2014 fiscal year at $16,000. However, the city council wants to keep the arts council at its current funding rate.

The request for the increase had to do with BCAC’s purchase of the Turnage Theater and how an open Turnage is an economic engine for downtown, one the city is being asked to support. The city council had to decide if the additional money would be in the budget.

To see the entire proposed budget visit the City of Washington’s website at http://www.washington-nc.com/proposed-budget.