UPDATE - Last Chance: Provide Input on Herndon's 2013 Budget

Update - April 24, 11 p.m.: The Herndon Town Council deferred voting on the 2013 budget on Tuesday, April 24. The council will take action on the budget at its next public hearing on May 8. The public still has time to comment and provide input until then. See the end of this article for ways to provide comments on the budget to the Town of Hendon.

Original post - April 24, 6 a.m.: Tonight will be your last chance to speak out on the Town of Herndon's 2013 budget when the Town Council takes action on it at its public hearing.  

Town Manager Art Anselene proposed the 2013 budget of $46,116,950, which is a 1.9 percent increase over last year's budget. During the meeting members of the public will have up to three minutes to speak to the council on their thoughts on the budget. Here are the highlights:

• The budget maintains the town real estate tax rate, meals tax rate and other tax rates and levies at their current levels. 
• It continues to allocate resources to strategic capital projects like major road improvements, downtown redevelopment and Metro planning.
• It continues to allocate one percent of the town's meals tax, which was increased to 2.5 percent last year, to support utility undergrounding downtown as well as major road repaving, future funding of a downtown parking garage and promotion of town restaurants. 
• The budget implements strategies that were recommended by the town's Economic Development Task Force, including a branding initiative for the town.
• The budget increases personnel costs, including a 2 percent cost of living adjustment for all employees, a continued freeze on merit pay increases and increased costs for funding retirement and life insurance benefits.  

The public hearing begins at 7 p.m. in the Ingram Council Chambers, 765 Lynn St. Click here for more information on the budget. Town residents and businesses can send comments on the budget by email to budget@herndon-va.gov or by calling 703-435-6817. They can also click here to provide comments on the proposed 2013 budget online.

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