DOVER, Del. --- City officials in Dover have proposed an 8.6 percent property tax hike as part of a $43.6 million general fund budget recommended by staff for the fiscal year starting in July.

The increased revenue from the tax hike would be used to help pay for increased staffing in divisions like the Public Works Department who would focus on issues like code enforcement or maintaining streets and stormwater systems.

City manager Donna Mitchell said the city has been understaffed in many areas for years and hiring additional staff members will allow the city to better manage things like complaints that come in "day in and day out" regarding code enforcement, particularly for issues like tall grass or unkempt buildings.

"That’s where the real challenge is," she said.

The city estimates it will take in more than $1 million in new revenue from the tax hike, should it be approved. It would mark the second hike to property taxes for many Dover residents this year, following the Capital School District's successful referendum in April.

George Keller, a homeowner in Dover, said he's supportive of the tax hike if it means the city will crack down on code violations that can reduce the value of homes near problem properties.

"I don't like taxes being raised but if we're going to do something about all these code violations around the city then I'm 100 percent for it," he said.

Dover council members on Wednesday voted to advance the bill toward a final vote next month, along with the city's spending plans for the electric and water utilities.

Mitchell said the creation of a new fund and fee charged to property owners that will be used to pay for improvements and maintenance for the city's stormwater infrastructure and drainage systems would come next month.

But support for the spending plan is unlikely to be universal among city council members.

Councilman David Anderson (District 4) said he is concerned about the tax hike and whether it will make the area less desirable to business owners who may already have located in the city or plan to.

"Our taxes are not high in the city. We need to keep it that way because that's what keeps economic growth. That's what increases our income and that's what increases jobs," he said.

Councilman Matt Lindell (District 1) said he is supportive of the tax hike, saying constituents have indicated to him that they want to see better code enforcement and public works services in their neighborhoods.

"I get calls all the time about dilapidated housing or just issues within neighborhoods," he said.