Trending
SURREY - Surrey city taxes would go up by the 3% increase allowed in state law under a preliminary budget for 2027 adopted by the Surrey City Council Thursday, July 16.
Surrey had adopted a 3% levy increase for 2026 as well.
The council has not yet set a public budget hearing. The preliminary budget can be adjusted downward but not upward before its adoption as the final budget.
City Auditor Anita Trana said health insurance, audit fees and the cost of maintaining a police department all are rising, forcing the city to look for ways to reduce expenses to stay within the 3% limit, which equates to an allowed increase of $10,540.
Trana said the council made some budget adjustments Thursday. The preliminary budget's total spending remained to be calculated Friday to incorporate the changes.
Surrey voters had approved increasing the city sales tax to 3%, effective this past January. In June, voters approved redistributing the sales tax to allocate 1% to equipment. The remainder goes to infrastructure and sanitary sewer and water distribution improvements.
The voters' decision enabled the council to move $10,000 in police vehicles and equipment maintenance from the city's general fund into a vehicle account, shifting the costs from property tax to sales tax, Trana said.
Separately, the council voted to provide mosquito spraying services to Glenburn. Surrey has an employee who is certified through the North Dakota State Extension Service to fog for mosquitos. The city has been collecting a vector fee from residents over the years to provide the spraying locally.
Once a contract is drafted and agreed to with Glenburn, it will be a first for Surrey to assist another community with mosquito spraying, Trana said.