CAPE MAY – City council Tuesday rolled out a $15.5 million budget for 2012 that will result in a little over a penny increase in the tax rate.

“We’ve had meetings and sessions that included all of you. All of the numbers are in here. Between now and (March 20) you can meet and suggest changes,” said Leon Costello, the city’s auditor. “On the 20th, you can pass it as it is, or you can make changes and pass it…we’ve been through this in detail all along, or you can not pass it and do more work.”

Costello told council that the budget presented Tuesday met all legal requirements, including the tax levy cap and spending cap, but still contained a 1.1 cent tax increase.

“State aid is also intact,” Costello reported, adding that the $337,000 that the city receives from the state is a small fraction of the overall budget. “We are also in great shape in regard to debt service and on track with the bond for Convention Hall.”

The budget is scheduled for public hearing on March 20.

There was scant attendance at the Tuesday night regular meeting and no public comment on the budget as introduced. The entire meeting lasted a little over 30 minutes.

Mayor Edward Mahaney and council members William Murray, Terri Swain and Deanna Fiocca each cast votes in favor of the budget introduction. Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman was absent.

Last year, city council split 2-2 on a vote to introduce the 2011 budget. Wichterman was absent at that meeting as well, on a scheduled vacation. Mahaney voted against the budget at its first attempted introduction in 2011, saying that there had not been sufficient input from council members.

This year, according to comments at the public meeting, council members were active participants in the budgeting process.