CitySSM  The preliminary budget numbers have been released by the City of Sault Ste. Marie and it shows a shortfall of over 107-million dollars which would represent a tax levy increase of 5.23%.  Council will now look to find either additional savings or new revenues during its upcoming deliberations in reaching a final tax levy amount.  Of that amount, staff expalins in a report to council for Monday’s meeting that 2% is due to surplus and reserves used in 2015 for levy reduction.  Staff continues to recommend that surplus funds not be used for levy reduction and rather be applied to one-time items in order to maintain a stabalized levy.  Leaving the tax levy at the 5.23% rate would cost the average residential property owner assessed at over 175-thousand dollars and additional $124.  The operating budget includes 2.2-million dollars for annual debt servicing costs—–the long-term debt balance as of the end of last year, is 9-million dollars.  Public budget input sessions are scheduled for the evening of February 17th from 7 to 9 and the afternoon on February 20th from 2 to 4 at Civic Centre.  The final budget is expeccted to be presented to council for consideration in April.  The residential  tax increase in 2015 was 1.89% and in 2014 it was 0%.