Council Approves Budget on Second Reading

The Cheyenne City Council on Tuesday night approved the city's proposed 2014 Fiscal Year Budget on second reading.

The budget still needs to pass on third reading before being finalized, however. The version of the budget approved on Tuesday includes Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen's proposed 2.25% raise for city employees. That provision had been amended on May 28 to withhold the raises until after an employee investment study could be completed. The amendment would have then awarded raises to all city employees who were at least 2.25% below market value in their wages.

But even though that amendment has at this point been removed,  Kaysen says he expects further discussion of employee raises before the budget is finalized. The proposed budget now goes before a city council Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, and is scheduled to go before the full council for final consideration Monday night.

The new budget is scheduled to take effect on July 1.