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5 Charlottesville, the Governor's budget will add $1,370,000 o ver two years, the House plan is similar, but the Senate plan will add $4,185,000 over two years. PRESENTATION : CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED FY 04/05 BUDGET Mr. O'Connell said the goal of the proposed budget is to protect services. Mr. O'Connell listed the following budget strategies: fully fund schools; continue to find creative ways to streamline services; be realistic about costs of running the City; fund infrastructure, especially schools; keep services intact; continue to address long - term investments in economic development and tourism; invest in human resources; find solutions to the state shifting costs to localities; make the trash system more self supporting; and honor the City's AAA rating with full funding for debt services. Mr. O'Connell liste d commitments made in the budget: school funding, capital improvement program; Council reserve of $75,000; 3% pay for performance and market rate adjustments; tax relief increase; debt service increase; Comprehensive Services Act increase; retirement incr ease; health care cost increase; and jail increase. Mr. O'Connell said that the budget proposes the following user tax and fee increases: cigarette tax; E - 911 tax; trash fees; building and permit fees; public safety related fees; and rate change for elec tric and gas utilities for commercial customers. Mr. O'Connell said the budget includes merger of the Parks and Recreation Departments, reorganization of the Real Estate Assessor's office into the Finance Department, and does not increase General Fund sta ffing levels. Mr. O'Connell encouraged Councilors to get questions to staff in advance of the work session. Mr. Caravati said the jail is understaffed and the employees are underpaid and further cuts cannot be made. He said it is anticipated that the j ail will receive $700,000 less from the state in next year's budget. Ms. Richards asked that Mr. O'Connell address why the increase in trash stickers is necessary. Mr. O'Connell said that cleanup of the Ivy Landfill will cost the City and County approx imately $14 million over the next ten years; there was a small increase when trash and recycling collection was rebid this year; and it is felt to be more prudent to reflect the increased costs by small increases rather than wait 10 years and have to signi ficantly increase the fees. Responding to a question from Ms. Richards, Mr. O'Connell said a survey was conducted last year of the cost of trash collection in Albemarle County by private haulers, and it was much higher than the cost in the City. He note d that Albemarle County is discussing having a special assessment to pay for their portion of the Landfill cleanup costs while he believes the cost to the City is covered in the trash fees. He added that the City also provides curbside recycling which the County does not. Mr. Lynch said we need to get a handle on service costs or get help from the state. Mr. Cox said it will help to develop underutilized parcels of land and said we need to be very strategic with the economic development component of t he budget. REPORT : MOVING COUNCIL ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER th Ms. Sheri Iachetta, Voter Registrar, explained that on January 5 Council approved a charge for a task force to study moving Council elections from May to November. Ms. Iachetta said a higher percentage of registered voters vote in the November elections and moving the elections to May would save approximately $32,000. Ms. Iachetta said additional considerations were that U. Va. students would likely participate more in November electio ns as they are either in the midst of exams or gone in May, and moving the elections would reduce voter official burnout. In addition, schools that are voting locations are open in May and that is somewhat disruptive to students. Ms. Iachetta said the ta sk force unanimously recommended that Council move to take the appropriate steps to move the Council elections to November and to align them with state elections in odd number years.