THOMASVILLE — City of Thomasville officials are reminding residents the public hearing for its fiscal year 2009 budget is today.

“We’ve held the line on our budget,” Thomasville City Councilman Roy Campbell said. “The only real increase we had was on CNS because of programming costs going up. The last several years the city has been fortunate not to run a deficit. We’ve had a balanced budget with some surplus in case we should have a local or national emergency we need to fund. We want to pay our bills on time and be good protectors of the money.”

Total expenses for the city are estimated to be $103.8 million for 2009, a difference of $2.2 million from 2008’s $101.6 million and is all in utilities.

Utilities expenses are increasing by three percent, but the only utility that will increase its rates is CNS. Electric, water, gas, sewer, sanitation, telecommunications, Rose.Net and telephony all have no rate increases.

The city cut 5 percent out of the budget to make up for the 5 percent cost-of-living increase by making incremental cuts in all department budgets.

“City staff has worked very hard to put together a fiscally conservative budget for 2009 and we are proud of the fact we were able to cut expenses internally and propose a budget that has no tax increase and no rate increases with the exception of CNS,” City Manager Steve Sykes said.

Council expects to finalize the budget at a called meeting on Dec. 3.

The workshop, Sykes said, will be held in the room next to council chambers. If there is a crowd for it or the hearing, the proceedings will move next door to council chambers.

“We welcome any comments from the citizens of Thomasville concerning services we offer and what is important to them,” Sykes said.