Mayor Ken Jahn said Monday that he opposes a proposal to increase the city's water utility bills in order to pay for potential city infrastructure improvements in 2010.

The increase would be created if the Common Council decides to transfer a fee - the fire protection fee - from the general tax levy to the water bills of Portage residents. It would cost utility users about $5.50 per month.

"Not in these economic times," Jahn said following a city meeting on Monday.

Jahn said that city residents are already being asked to pay more taxes to the school district and to the city through water and sewer utility rate increases.

The city tax levy is also projected to increase 3 percent, which is the highest amount allowed by the state.

"I am not opposed to (the fee transfer), but timing is everything," Jahn said. "It has to be really scrutinized. The economic times are not such thatpeople are automatically going to be able to show up in January with (more) dollars."

The Finance and Administration Committee - the city's main budget-making body - is looking at its options next week.

Common Council members and the mayor agree that capital improvements on city infrastructure, like roads, are imperative.

Delaying some capital projects could cost the city more in the long run, each have said.

Many other communities collect the fire protection fee - a charge that covers the cost of maintaining a sufficient water supply system in the city to fight fires effectively - on their water utility bills, giving them more general tax dollars to use for other city priorities.

The transfer would make about $300,000 available for capital improvements in 2010.

Jahn, who said he needs to talk to Common Council member Daniel Brunt, the Finance Committee chairman, about the fire protection fee, stopped short of saying he would veto any action by Council to authorize the fee transfer.

"I wouldn't say that today, but I would really want to scrutinize it and hear (the Council's) logic for why they would pass it," Jahn said.

The whole Common Council is expected to take a first crack at the city budget on Nov. 12, with final approval expected later this month.

In other business:

• The city Plan Commission is coming close to finishing its pass at reworking the city's zoning maps. The effort is being pushed in order to correct apparent problems and to provide residents and developers with a vision of how the city wants the community to develop over time.

Zoning for many properties in the community could change, especially homeowners in high-traffic zones like Wisconsin Street area along the canal, New Pinery Road and Wauona Trail. Current uses will be grandfathered in, but zoning could be changed to provide flexibility for the future, Jahn said.

"We are going to have to do a lot of explaining," Jahn said about selling the idea to property owners. A finalized proposal will not be ready until next year.

• Jahn also said Monday that the city's Tourism Promotion Committee, which he also chairs, will have some tough decisions to make this week. The committee, which distributes funds collected from a city hotel room tax each year, is working on its 2010 budget on Wednesday.

Organizations and groups asked for about $185,000; the city has about $110,000 to spend this year, according to Jahn.