Washington residents and others have an opportunity to influence the proposed city budget for fiscal year 2016-2017 during a public hearing scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday.

The proposed $75 million spending plan calls for increasing the city’s property-tax rate from 50 cents per $100 valuation to 52 cents. If approved, that increase would result in the annual taxes on a house valued at $100,000 rising from $500 to $520. The revenue generated by the 2-cent increase would go into a fund to help pay for a new police station.

“The tax increase is to be used solely for the land acquisition and construction of a new police station. After one year, the police station capital project fund will have a balance of $1.1 million, and the (2-cent increase) will service $2.2 million of additional debt, at 15 years market interest rates,” according to Roberson.

The proposed budget calls for a half-percent increase in water rates and a 2-percent increase in sewer rates for the upcoming fiscal year. The increases are needed to provide for the operation and maintenance of those services, according to City Manager Bobby Roberson. Under the proposed budget, electric rates would not increase during the fiscal year.

However, the City Council can make changes to the proposed budget before adopting a final budget. The council is considering adjusting the electric rate for industrial customers so they fairly share the burden of paying the city’s wholesale power cost.

During budget sessions last week, developed a proposal that would increase stormwater fees for commercial customers by 15 percent. The council looked at increasing the residential fee to $1 a month, but reached consensus to raise the monthly fee to 50 cents. That would result in a residential customer pay $6 more a year.

It’s likely that during the public hearing, some speakers will discuss the city-run pool. Some city officials say they favor closing the pool because it operates in the red each fiscal year and is not used by many people. Closing the pool could result in the city having to pay back grant money. City officials are looking into that situation. Other council members favor keeping the pool open.

The proposed budget includes a full-time public-works employee dedicated to working in the downtown area, keeping it clean and performing other related duties to make that area more attractive and conducive to enhancing the city’s tourism efforts.

The council is scheduled to adopt the budget at its May 23 meeting, giving it time to incorporate input provided at the public hearing. The council is required by state law to adopt the upcoming budget by June 30. The new fiscal year begins July 1.