Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler has presented city staff’s proposed budget for 2016, promising significant investments in projects such as city roadways and the establishment of a city contingency fund for emergencies. The mayor also recommended a property tax increase of 1 percent, the maximum annual increase allowed by state law.

Butler presented the budget at the Oct. 6 Issaquah City Council meeting, kicking off the two- to three-month process in which the actual budget will be negotiated for approval at the end of the year.

“Earlier this year, during my state of the city address, I highlighted the ways, large and small, concrete and conceptual, that we are working to build this community’s future,” Butler said. “…The proposed budget I’m presenting tonight has this simple focus: Starting the next chapter of Issaquah’s successful history.”

That chapter will evidently include beginning to tackle north Issaquah’s traffic congestion, with Butler noting that a sample of 300 Issaquah residents had given traffic flow a dismal 24 percent approval rating in December’s National Citizen Survey.

East Lake Sammamish Parkway was pegged for a $3.8 million road widening project slated to be completed by 2016’s close. Meanwhile, $6 million is set aside for design and environmental permitting of an extension of Southeast 62nd Street to Lake Drive. Both projects were part of the city’s deal with Costco Wholesale to expand their headquarters in Pickering Place. The city’s street improvement fund will see $5.5 million in private contributions in 2016, according to budget documents.

City staff additionally earmarked $820,000 from street and capital projects funds to improve pedestrian crossings on roads.

Street lighting, too, is slated for a $400,000 overhaul. Street lights — as well as the lights in the Public Works Operations  offices on First Avenue Northeast.

The plan also would establish a $300,000 contingency fund, a fund the city doesn’t currently have. The idea was proposed by Finance Director Diane Marcotte in 2013 to handle emergency expenses and raise the city’s credit rating.

Other highlights from the budget include:

• $75,000 to establish a Transportation Funding Strategy Advisory Committee and potentially fund the placement of a transportation package on the November 2016 general election ballot.
• Capital improvements to Central Park and Confluence Park, funded by the 2013 parks bond. A bridge spanning Issaquah Creek is planned for Confluence Park.
• $25,000 to broadcast council committee meetings on ICTV 21. Currently, only council meetings, council work sessions and some commission meetings are regularly broadcast.
• $55,000 for the testing of a neighborhood engagement program.
• $600,000 to upgrade the city’s accounting system.
• Two additional corrections officers for the Issaquah Jail, paid for by a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Hiring Program.

In all, the proposed budget represents nearly $171 million in balanced revenues and expenditures, an approximately $2 million increase over the previous year’s proposal.

The council held three budget work sessions following the release of the proposed budget. They were held on Oct. 7, Oct. 8 and Monday night.