Now that the Bristol Tennessee City Council has unanimously approved a proposed budget of nearly 110-million dollars they feel they are demonstrating fiscal responsibility as they move forward into the fiscal year. 39-million dollars will go to the city’s school district while 25 million will be saved for the possible project off Exit 74 of Interstate 81. Bristol City Manager Jeff Broughton says this is very important. The future Exit 74 project might qualify for a Tennessee program to boost economic development in border communities. The proposed budget will be officially approved June fifth and goes into affect on July first and does not call for increases in residential property taxes nor city water utility rates but does offer a 2 percent wage increase for the city’s 352 employees. Council members favored a 2-percent raise to their 6-thousand dollar annual salary in order to match the proposed 2 percent raise for city employees. This was a reduction from 3.4 percent that was previously scheduled. (bg)