Vicksburg officials approved a $28.6 million spending plan for 2007 Tuesday while still talking about ways to increase revenue – just not through tax rates.

The spending plan, largely unchanged from when it was unveiled Aug. 24 at a public hearing goes into effect Oct. 1.

It has a cushion of about $124,000 less than expected revenue, and the board discussed increasing available dollars by raising its per-mile rate on city-owned ambulances. Currently, the city charges public and private insurers of people picked up by the Fire Department-operated service $8.20 per mile, said Chief Keith Rogers. Medicare, however, the largest source of reimbursement for the runs, will pay up to $9.71 per mile. The board tabled Rogers’ request to raise the rate to $10 per mile until it could get a specific fee schedule, but could take up the matter again today or at its next regular meeting on Friday.

Also Tuesday, the city approved its share of the 2007 budget for Tallulah Regional Airport in Mound, which is expected to climb to $29,425.25 from $21,266.78 this year, as well as $4,000 in capital costs for a riding mower and asphalt sweeper. The city shares funding for the airport with Warren County, the City of Tallulah and Madison Parish. The increase is due largely to increased utility and banking costs, according to the VTR budget.

The Vicksburg Municipal Airport on U.S. 61 South is owned by the city, but does not receive regular subsidies. It is funded through renting hangar space and fuel sales.

Vicksburg’s general fund does not detail revenue or spending for its water, gas, sewer and garbage utilities, which operated separately but with a general fund supplement.

In order to keep reducing that supplement, the city voted Aug. 25 to raise rates across the board for the second straight year.

The city tries to operate the utilities to break even, not as an income source for other operations. South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman stressed increases were to curb losses in operating and maintaining utilities rather than purchasing costs, a deficit which in the new budget will rise to an estimated $3.9 million. Much of that shortfall will be deferred through capital projects in coming years, said Strategic Planner Paul Rogers.

Natural gas rates will go up $1.90 per 10 ccf, which will add $3 to $5 to summer bills but could cause bills in the winter, when usage spikes, to go up $20 or more. Gas bills also have cost adjustments, which have been varying monthly according to what the city is paying suppliers.

Hikes in water and sewage of 25 and 26 cents per thousand gallons, respectively, will add around $1.75 to an average monthly residential bill.

The city increased gas, water and garbage collection rates as part of its current budget last August in an effort to decrease the general fund subsidy being transferred to its gas, sewer, water and residential garbage collection costs by passing the cost onto users instead. The rate for natural gas, which most city residents use for heating, was increased by 25 percent. Water rates went up 15 percent and sewer bills, which are based on water use, saw a 5 percent rate increase.

North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield voted against Mayor Laurence Leyens and Beauman in instituting the increases both years.

Also not in the spending plan is the $10 million-$12 million expected to be raised in a fall bond issue. So far, ideas are to fund an urban renewal of historic riverfront properties from Washington Street west to the Mississippi River and Yazoo Diversion Canal in the Oak Street Corridor with some of that money. Portions will also go to a replacement for the Washington Street bridge near Clark Street, the first phase of a $20 million recreational complex on Fisher Ferry Road and $7 million in citywide paving projects.

The city still has roughly $10.6 million to pay on its last bond issue, $18 million borrowed six years ago, with much of it spent on downtown renewal. Rogers has said the city will pay $2 million a year through 2011 on that debt.

In other business, the board: