By Rusty Nixon Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — Summer time is budget time for local government and Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter and Clerk-Treasurer Toni Hutchings have given department heads a number to work with as they start the process.
The administration has proposed a 3 percent across the board cost of living increase for all city employees.

“It’s the right thing to do and all the boards (Water Works, Sanitary, Public Works and Safety) will have to look at it,” said Senter of the raise proposal. “The way times are I think there are many people who didn’t think we’d be able to give anything. We just wish it could be more.”
The number is based on the Indiana Public Employ-ees Retirement Fund establishing a cost of living adjustment at the same three percent.
“It’s actually a pretty standard number,” said Senter. “Most years 3 percent is a normal cost of living adjustment.”
With the new state of Indiana tax bill being introduced, city budgets look to be impacted significantly. Just what that effect is going to have on other city budget items is unclear at the present.
“It’s all really up in the air right now,” said Senter. “You can jumble up the numbers in all kinds of ways. We just have to wait and see what happens. I think that city’s like South Bend and Mishawaka are going to have a much bigger impact than us.”
Still the decision to give city employees a raise for the coming year shows a commitment from city government to those who work for the city.
“I think you could say that,” said Senter. “I think it’s important to have something for those who work for the city. In the long run we’ll get through any problems together.”