Burien council members unanimously approved on Dec. 10 a $31.1 million city budget for 2008.

A $19.7 million operating budget accounts for almost two thirds of the new spending plan, while the capital budget is $11.4 million.

Mayor Joan McGilton, Deputy Mayor Rose Clark, and council members Sue Blazak, Lucy Krakowiak and Gordon Shaw voted for the new budget. Council members Jack Block Jr. and Sally Nelson were absent.

Their action came after City Manager Mike Martin declared, "The city's financial condition is solid and you have done a very good job of managing your money."

Public safety is the largest expense category at $7.7 million, or 49 percent of the operating budget.

Public works is second at $4.4 million (22 percent); general government is $3.8 million (19 percent); parks and recreation, $2.4 million (12 percent); and community development $1.5 million (8 percent).

No new major capital projects are planned, according to city Finance Director Scott Hardin. Most of the new funding will go to the First Avenue South project, Town Square and other transportation projects.

Local property taxes will generate $5.3 million in revenue for the city, and the local sales tax will bring in $5.9 million-almost two thirds of anticipated tax revenue for the year.

In addition to taxes, other city revenue will come from charges for services, the state and King County, and licenses and permits.

The city's property tax rate will decrease from $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $1.39 per $1,000.

Before their final action on the budget and despite uncertainty among the council members, the lawmakers voted to add to the 2008 budget a health plan that will include them.

The benefit package, which will cost $34,000 annually, had raised questions within the council as to whether it was necessary at this time.

"I like the idea of coverage but we have staffing priorities that I feel are much more important so I will vote no," Deputy Mayor Rose Clark said.

Council member Sue Blazak added that she had received input from the public that the council position is a "part time" job and benefits were not necessary.

"But I don't consider this a 'part time' job," Blazak added.

Krakowiak interjected that the city needs an assistant city manager, and Martin told council members that he had budgeted for the position in the 2008 budget and fill the position by the end of February should the council wish.

"If you promise that you can hire an assistant manager then I will change my vote" on health coverage, Clark said.

The answer was a unanimous "yes."

"I would hope that all the people that think this isn't an appropriate amount of money to spend on council members would think that having us healthy is an important thing," McGilton observed.

The council also discussed the recent state Supreme Court decision striking down Initiative 747, which would give local governments the ability to raise property taxes as much as 6 percent annually.

The 2008 budget was built around a 1 percent increase in property taxes.

"In talking with the finance staff I'm not going to support doing this, we don't need it in 2008 and I'm concerned there would be some backlash on this so I'm going to vote no," Blazak said.

McGilton was the lone lawmaker who wanted to go beyond the limits of I-747.

"I just hope our citizens, as they continue to move forward with restrictions on money spent within the city, that they enjoy the decrease in service," McGilton said.