During a Thursday evening work session, the Rapid City Council added about $396,000 of expenditures to the proposed 2009 budget but still plans to do additional work before the budget is finalized later this month.

The proposed $129,359,893 million budget's next stop is the Sept. 10 legal and finance committee, and then on to the Sept. 15 city council meeting. By law, the city's budget must be approved by Oct. 1 each year.

Additions included:

- WAVI, $25,000.

- Black Hills Vision, $75,000.

- Economic Development, $50,000.

- Dahl Arts Center, $20,000 for a security card system.

- Police department fingerprint technician, $3,819.

- Lifeways (alcohol and drug prevention program in schools), $50,000.

- Parks maintenance supervisor, $69,600.

The council asked for more information about a request for $50,571 in additional funding for the 911 dispatch center; a request for $3,000 more for the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce; and more information about adding a police chemist position.

Though it would be a new full-time position, the police chemist could save the city money, perhaps as much as $97,000, by doing blood alcohol testing for area counties instead of contracting with an independent contractor.

The council added about $337,000 in revenue a few weeks ago by taking an additional 2.9 percent in property taxes.

The city collects a certain amount of additional property taxes each year simply through normal growth of the tax base as new homes and businesses are built. But state law also allows the city to increase property taxes another 3 percent, or by the value of the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less.

The mayor did not include the CPI increase in the proposed nearly $45 million 2009 general fund budget, though he indicated during his budget presentation last month that the city ought to take it this year.

The city's estimated mill levy next year is 2.96, which is the same it has been the last few years. On a $100,000 home, the city's share of the tax bill would be $296. The actual mill levy won't be determined until certified by the county auditor later this year.

Contact Scott Aust at 394-8415 or scott.aust@rapidcityjournal.com