City adopts 2016 budget, no new (property) taxes

Plan also increases police on the streets

Pretty good year it’s turning out to be for property taxpayers in La Crosse.

The city has just adopted a budget this week with no property tax levy increase. Same is true for county government, the school district of La Crosse and WTC; all of them adopting budgets with levy rates that basically moved very little if at all.

Increased property values and new construction are generally getting the credit for those governments balancing the books for next year without increasing tax rates.

The city’s spending plan for next year includes funding for two new Neighborhood Resource Officers and a move by police to 12-hour shifts in order to increase the number of officers on the street at any given time.

The city’s budget for next year also includes several fee increases.