ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- The Elmira City Council approved the 2025 operating budget, including a 5.3% tax hike.  The operating budget, which funds day to day operations in the city for the year, comes with a price tag of $41,421,507, and passed in a 5 to 1 vote.

The biggest item in the 2025 operating budget is public safety, coming in at $16,479,518.00.  Another big ticket line; employee benefits at $12,034,236.00.  Other items include transportation, culture and recreation, and debt service among others.  City Manager Mike Collins says the city is planning to use $3.5M from the city's general fund to help reduce the impact on taxpayer dollars.

"I think what's important for everyone to know, the number 5.3% does sound a lot. Many of the homes within the City of Elmira are assessed at, you know, sixty thousand, seventy thousand, eighty thousand, and I think, if we look at it on a monthly basis, what the increase will be.  You're talking anywhere from. You know six dollars to eight dollars more annually on a home that's assessed between fifty and eighty thousand," said Collins.

The operating budget received one opposing vote from First District Councilman Nick Grasso.  Grasso took to FaceBook, questioning why taxes are being raised by 5.3% when the city is allocating half of the general fund balance towards the budget.