Just days after the school board already approved a tax increase, City Council followed suit.
The 20 percent hike in property taxes is smaller than the 30 percent increase sought by Councilmember Barb Warwick.
Warwick said council was warned that action was needed now to avoid deeper cuts later and that council could no longer delay addressing the city’s finances.
Theresa Kail Smith voted against the increase, saying it would be difficult on struggling homeowners, even if they took advantage of available discounts.
The budget calls for less money for the city's Stop the Violence Fund.
Warwick says they'll be able to cover costs next year without program cuts.
The budget now goes to outgoing Mayor Ed Gainey who had submitted a different spending plan to Council, which did not call for a tax increase.
Mayor Gainey now has ten days to sign or veto the budget. If he vetoes it, Warwick says council has the six votes needed to override.