UTICA - The City of Utica is facing a 7.25% tax increase as Mayor David Roefaro delivered his first budget message to city department heads.

Mayor Roefaro says he likes to think of it not as a tax increase, but an investment in the city's future. This new budget is bringing a lot of change - things being implemented in city government which we haven't seen or had before.

The mayor delivered his first budget message to the Board of Estimate and Apportionment - which is made up of a handful of city department heads - Friday morning in the common council chambers.

Some new things we're going to see if the mayor's budget is passed as is:

*A Human Resources Department. Roefaro says he can't understand how a city with 650 employees has gone without one for this long. He believes it'll help prevent a lot of lawsuits and give employees a place to address concerns and set standards for training.

*The mayor's going to ask the Common Council to raise the compliment of the Utica Police Department by 8 street officers, going from 176 to 184 total on the force.

*The mayor is earmarking $2 millions for road improvements.

Mayor Roefaro says it took many late nights with budget staff to get that proposed tax hike down to 7.25%

In order to prevent fraud and waste, the Mayor's installing a $56,000 payroll system by which those working at City Hall, the Police Department and Public Works will, instead of time cards, use a finger pad to 'punch in'.

The Board of Estimates and Appropriations will adopt the budget February 20 and the Council has to vote on it by March 20.

Also today, the Mayor didn't want to get into specifics, but he did say he, the public Spsafety commissioner and police officials have hammered out a way to put two officers in a car 24 hours a day in high crime areas of the city without costing any money.

More details are expected to be unveiled next week.