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The Quincy Park Board approved the FY2011 budget at Wednesday night's meeting.

The operating budget is $7,893,537, down from FY2010's $9,497,378. Board President John Frankenhoff voted against the budget, citing pay raises for non-union, full-time staff members to be "sending mixed messages."

"This comes at a time when we raised taxes, laid people off, and we are dealing with challenges," Frankenhoff said during the meeting.

The budget reflects a 1.6 percent raise, though specific salaries were discussed later in closed session. It also includes funds for merit raises.

Commissioner Patty McGlothlin said that giving no raises was like a "slap in the face" to employees, because the cost of living goes up every year and the employees are being asked to do more with less.

The budget reflects an increase of 17.6 percent in health insurance rates, nearly a 10 percent increase in pension costs and an 18.6 percent increase in unemployment taxes. The core operating funds are marked by about $200,000 in budget reductions.