The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District has scheduled two public hearings next month to review its 2009 operating and capital budgets with spending of $371.85 million.

The district proposes spending $84.9 million on operating and maintaining two sewage treatment plants, deep tunnels, regional sewers and the Milorganite factory. Projected energy costs - primarily natural gas and electricity - will consume 28% of that budget.

Most revenue needed to pay operating costs will come from residential and industrial user charges and sales of Milorganite fertilizer.

User charges would rise

Total user charges would climb 11.8%, to $67.8 million, and much of the increase is needed to pay energy costs, said Mark Kaminski, district acting controller and treasurer.

Milorganite revenue is projected to increase 9.3% in 2009, to $6.39 million, on the back of wholesale price increases.

The district's capital budget - which includes spending on construction of sewage treatment facilities, regional sewers and flood control projects - would increase 10%, to $286.95 million, next year.

Revenue sources

The largest sources of revenue for capital projects are: $133 million in state loans; a property tax levy of $82.45 million - up 2% from 2008 - to be collected from Milwaukee County property owners; and $23 million - 4.6% less than last year - from 10 communities outside of Milwaukee County served by the district.

A tax rate of $1.29 per $1,000 of equalized valuation - up 1 cent from this year - would generate the levy.

Residents of communities served by the district are invited to comment on the budgets at one of two hearings: 6 p.m. Oct. 13 at the MMSD headquarters, 260 W. Seeboth St.; and 8:30 a.m. Oct. 27 at the MMSD headquarters.