Final OK for Seneca’s new budgets

After last night’s City Hall meeting, a woman told the Seneca mayor, “Think of us poor folks.” Most Senecans appeared at the annual budget hearing disguised as empty chairs. Only one person spoke before the mayor and council gave their final stamp of approval to Seneca’s spending plans for the next 12 months. The largest of the various budgets are general operations and utilities. The public will pay more in 2013-14 to fund them. Included in the general operations budget is a three mill tax increase, along with higher fees for roll cart garbage pickup. Light and Water is counting on a 6.5% electrical rate increase. Water and sewer charges are going up, also, along with a 10-cent increase for every one thousand gallons sold to the city’s wholesale customers—such as the Town of Salem and the Pioneer Rural Water District. With its added revenues, Seneca plans several improvements—including the replacement of the gymnasium floor at the Shaver Recreation Complex.