By Liz Oakes
Enquirer staff writer

ST. BERNARD - Taxes could rise as much as $200 next year for the owner of a $100,000 house under a possible 8-mill property tax increase discussed at an emergency City Council session Thursday.

Council met to discuss St. Bernard's financial woes, which have left city of 5,146 short $1 million halfway through this year.

The "town hall" meeting drew about 60 people, a number of whom clapped when one resident spoke in favor of keeping the police and fire departments fully staffed.

"I know nobody wants to see that, that if the bell rings, nobody picks up," said Tom Cunningham, 47.

"Maybe we've been getting a free ride all these 14 years," added Cunningham, who grew up in the city.

City officials have said they are considering reinstating a 2-mill property tax, rolled back in 1990.

But some council members said the city needs to go beyond that.

"We need 6 to 8 more mills to keep the general operations of the city up and moving," said Councilman Phil Stegman.

Voters would need to approve anything beyond a 2-mill increase, which could go on the ballot as early as this fall, officials said.

Council plans to meet again to decide what to do about its budget problems at 7:30 p.m. July 29. A public hearing will be held 8 p.m. Aug. 5 on whether to raise the property tax by 2 mills.

Reinstating 2 mills would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $50 a year and bring in about $335,000 a year.

The city got an extension to next month to turn in a proposed budget to the county while it figures out what to do.

For 2005, St. Bernard needs to cut more than $2 million to balance the budget, according to Auditor Walt St. Clair.

"If push comes to shove, there could be some cuts in personnel, services," St. Clair warned Council at the meeting.

Councilwoman Peggy Brickweg suggested another alternative - police and fire levies, which the city currently doesn't have.

"If we might have to raise taxes, we might have to raise taxes," Brickweg said.

Not all on Council are ready to agree.

"I would like to see some reduction in our current spending trends," said Councilman Greg Zix.

St. Bernard had an $11 million surplus five years ago. That was before the city spent more than $2 million on a new pool and about the same amount buying property to redevelop.

This winter, the city agreed to spend $125,000 on five new police cruisers on a payment plan.

Over bingo at the weekly senior citizens' meeting at the municipal building on Wednesday, several residents said higher taxes and cutbacks would hurt some, but that something needed to be done.

Donna Dunigan, 62, said she's disabled and relies on city services to get to doctor appointments and help her with heavy trash.

"It's nice to have two garbage pickups a week. But you can live with one," Dunigan said.

E-mail loakes@enquirer.com