After eliminating positions, increasing some fees, and renegotiating the city's health insurance plan, Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler said he could hold next year's budget relatively even.

Beutler, who is proposing a budget of $135 million for 2009 -2010, said the city's financial situation is a "perfect storm" but he he feels better about his third budget than the past two.

The proposed amount is an increase of just $62,642 from 2008-2009.

Among the changes you would likely see affecting your pocket book -- an increase in your phone tax. Beutler is proposing it be raised from 5.5 percent to 6 percent.

The increase would start January 1, 2010 and is expected to generate an estimated $385,000 the first year, and about $660,000 each year after.

Beutler's budget also calls for the natural gas franchise fee to increase by 10 percent.

"The structure of that franchise fee allows us once every 5 years to go ahead and increase it to catch up with inflation," said Beutler. He said the city hasn't done so since the fee began.

Between the phone tax and increased natural gas fee, the mayor's offices estimates households will pay $10-$12 more a year for the services.

The mayor says the increases came after department cuts, job losses and other fee increases.

"We still needed some money to save the services that many consider to be important,"

He said the increase will help save other programs, like swimming pools and libraries without having to raise property taxes.

Beutler estimates property tax revenue to actually decrease by about 1.25 percent and said this year's sales tax returns have been abnormally low, coming in, in the red so far this year.

User fees for parks and recreation programs and the Health Department, are also set to increase in his proposal. Included are:

-Enclosed Park Shelter Rental: increase from $80 to $100
-Open Park Shelter Rental: increase $5 (from $45 to $50)
-Before & After School Programs: increase $5/month
-Summer Day Camp Programs: increase $5/week
-Adult and Team Sports: increase $5

Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Johnson said the slight increases will help the department recover a lot of their costs and balance areas where funding was reduced.

Water and Waste Water fees would also increase on a combined average, by about 4.5 percent. Beutler said this is to try and balance the funds for the Public Works and Utilities Department, which he said took heavy cuts.

Beutler will present his budget proposal to the Lincoln City Council Monday, at 10 a.m.