City Council Passes FY 2012 Budget [AUDIO]

After a lengthy meeting, the Cheyenne City Council passed the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget by a 7 to 3 vote Monday. The budget as passed includes a one thousand dollar raise for full-time city employees. the council also approved a couple of cost cutting measures put forward by Councilman Jack Spiker, which would offset the loss of revenues if the council next week fails to approve water and sewer rate increases. Spiker says he sponsored the amendments because he doesn't think the council will approve the increases. Mayor Rick Kaysen says he feels the 50.7 million dollar budget will help the city move forward..

One item that was not funded was the arts in public places committee. Councilwoman Georgia  Broyles made several attempts to allocate 25 thousand dollars to that committee, but failed to win any support from the rest of the council, which she said was a ''slap in the face'' to the art program.