Wilmington officials spend months putting together the budget, holding hearings, having conversations and sharing ideas to ultimately pass a balanced budget for the new fiscal year.

It's an important process, but hourslong meetings can be dense, and pages of line items can be confusing. Here's what Mayor Mike Purzycki's revised budget, passed Thursday night by the City Council, means for thousands of Wilmingtonians.

A 7.5 percent increase in property taxes.Purzycki was clear in his March budget address: The city is facing a "looming debt crisis." Raising taxes now will prevent a disaster later, he said. This means for a property with an assessed value of $50,000 in Union Park Gardens, a homeowner would see an increase of $70 a year. [Note: Wilmington hasn't had a property assessment since 1983.] The increase for a property in Brandywine Hills assessed at $100,000 would hike the tax bill by $140 a year, according to the Mayor's Office.

A 4 percent increase in water/sewer rates. Water customers who use 4,000 gallons of water per month will see a $1.81 monthly increase on their bills, the Mayor's Office said. The rate increase is supported by the city’s independent Water and Sewer Citizens Advisory Commission, which makes recommendations on utility matters to the administration, and will allow the city to fully fund a 60-day operating reserve while meeting the minimum debt coverage ratio set by the commission's policy, the Mayor's Office said.

Fewer firefighters. In a move that angered the firefighter's union and has concerned residents, the mayor cut the Fire Department's authorized strength from 172 to 156. This eliminates 16 positions that the department had left empty over time, a lack of action that Councilman Bob Williams said violated city code. The Mayor's Office maintains that the department will be sufficiently staffed to keep the city safe while saving on costs. The move means the elimination of an engine company and the likely return of rolling bypass, the unpopular practice of shutting down engines on a rotation during staffing shortages, which is often. The mayor has argued that those staffing shortages would be less frequent with a different work schedule for firefighters. (Currently, firefighters work one 24-hour shift and then take 72 hours off.) The firefighter's union doesn't want to give up the schedule. The parties are up for a contract negotiation.

...but some new firefighters, too. The department currently has 23 vacancies. After the elimination of 16 vacant positions, there will be seven openings, but at least four more are expected from retirements. The city was originally going to fill those jobs with certified firefighters, individuals who are already training. But City Council members, including Samuel L. Guy, Vash Turner and Bob Williams, argued during the budget hearing that Wilmington’s youth should get a chance to go to fire school and start their careers. The mayor ultimately agreed, and there will be a 14-week training class soon. The city also earmarked $30,000 for the return of the Fire Explorers Program, which teaches children about firefighting.

STORY: Purzycki proposes tax hike, staffing cuts in Wilmington

STORY: Latest Wilmington budget adds fire funds, cuts staff and increases taxes

More contact with the City Treasurer's Office. City Treasurer Velda Jones-Potter was granted $10,000 for financial literacy outreach and community engagement. "What I've seen is people in our community don't really know where to start when they run into consumer financial protection issues," Jones-Potter said. "We’re able to refer them or empower them with information or otherwise help them navigate that."

A Safe Haven for the 6th District. The city set aside $22,500 for a Safe Haven in the southwestern part of the city, which includes Browntown. The Safe Haven program, with 11 locations across the city, is being coordinated by the CDC Community Advisory Council, a group headed by City Council President Hanifa Shabazz to provide more youth support and reduce gun violence.

A step toward improvements for the disabled. With $125,000 added to the revised budget, the city will study ways to bring Wilmington into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Decreased benefits on the horizon for city workers. Purzycki said in his March budget address that rising health care costs for city workers are a major problem. There are options available with co-pays as low as $5 and prescription costs as low as $10, which Purzycki called “too generous and too expensive.” Changes would have to be made in union contract negotiations.

This is not a comprehensive list. Full departmental budgets and presentations are available at wilmdebudget.org.

Contact Christina Jedra at (302) 324-2837 or cjedra@delawareonline.com.