The Taylor Town Council approved the town’s $5,302,468 tentative budget for fiscal year 2011-12 on July 6. The total is down from the $5,643,404 budget for the present fiscal year.

Highway User Revenue Funds are down $70,652, from $503,854 to $433,193.

“They’re conservative estimates based on trends,” Town Manager Eric Duthie said regarding the contingency fund. “We always try to put some sort of buffer in. One rule of government funding is, you cannot spend what you did not budget for, even if you have it.” He noted that in the past they have put $1 million to $2 million in the contingency fund, but have cut that down to under half a million. “We just don’t see anything on the horizon,” he said.

Finance Director Gus Lundberg provided an overview of the budget and reviewed it with council members.

With little discussion, the council unanimously approved the tentative budget.