Fargo City Commission Reconsiders the Mayor’s Budget

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Early this morning, the Fargo City Commission held another meeting on the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget hearing.

The meeting was called by Commissioner Michelle Turnberg after the commission had not agreed with the initial budget hearing. 

There is a dispute over reduced funding to Hector International Airport.

Mayor Tim Mahoney says in order to balance the budget, city employees’ cost of living increase will not be as large as previously proposed.

The budget for the last year was set at fifty-six mills and the decision that was given at the meeting was to decrease it by one or keep it the same. 

After some heated discussion, the commission decided to reduce the city levy by one. 

“We need to leave it at fifty-five and hopefully drop it from there. And do you know who will rejoice at that? Taxpayers. The taxpayers are extremely fatigued, especially with an eleven percent increase with your budget this year. Thats, thats embarrassing,” said Dave Piepkorn, Commissioner.

“Every single one of those is an employee, is a person. So we just left and right constantly are generous in ways that we are supportive in the public. That has to be pulled in,” said John Strand, Commissioner.

The final decision for the budget will need to be approved by October 7th.