MARSHALL — Arriving at a preliminary levy increase of nearly 10% was not a fun task, Marshall City Council members said Tuesday. However, council members also said they’ve worked with city staff to try and keep the proposed increase out of the double digits.

Council members voted to approve a proposed property tax levy of about $8.98 million for 2024. That levy would be an increase of 9.9% from 2023. That increase could still come down before the council approves a final levy by the end of the year.

“This is the product of budget work sessions that the council has held. Staff has done an extensive amount of work to bring us to the point of the preliminary levy,” said Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes.

E.J. Moberg, director of administrative services for the city of Marshall, said the levy proposal brought before the council came out of additional budget discussions city staff had after a previous council work session.

“This current proposal in front of you is a 9.9% increase,” Moberg said. “We feel it’s achievable. I don’t know that there’s going to be a lot more initial room to cut at this point.”

“We’ve worked a long time and a hard time , and we’ve already gotten it down quite a bit,” said council member Steven Meister. “But so the public knows, this is not a fun thing for us to do. We don’t like to do it. But the costs, as everybody knows, have gone up and up, and it doesn’t spare the city.”

“I concur with Steve,” said council member James Lozinski. “I do appreciate the staff and the work they put into this, because you’re right, Steve. This is not fun.”

Council members voted to accept the preliminary levy increase of 9.9%.

The final 2024 levy the council adopts can be lower, but not higher, than the preliminary levy. The city will hold its annual truth-in-taxation meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at City Hall.