The City of Butler needs major improvements to its streets. That is without question.

However, the city council must look carefully and cautiously at Councilman Mitch Ufner's proposal of a two-mill property tax increase for debt service related to street improvements.

Like residents of other municipalities located in the Butler School District, city residents are facing the prospect of a 4.5-mill school tax increase. Meanwhile, the county commissioners, at about the time of passage of the county's 2006 budget, which kept the tax rate unchanged from 2005, indicated that a property tax hike was likely for 2007.

No doubt affected property owners are wondering if and when the tax grabs will end.

One thing is certain: No one who has driven the streets and alleys of the city has ever reported spotting a money tree growing in anyone's yard.

Ufner's proposal has merit in that its goal is to try to begin rectifying decades of roadway neglect. It's not an exaggeration to classify many of the city's streets as a disgrace.

However, the council must factor into the city's fiscal picture — not only for the short term but also for the long term — the positive impact of the new Emergency and Municipal Services Tax, which was collected for the first time — albeit at a lower rate — in 2005 and that is being levied at the maximum rate of $47 for the city this year. An additional $5 is collected for the school district.

The mild winter benefited the city, although higher fuel costs have worked against those savings.

In bringing up the tax-increase issue at a council meeting on May 25, Ufner expressed frustration about only being able to resurface between 1 percent and 2 percent of the city's 54 miles of streets each year. In April, the council awarded a $161,346 contract for resurfacing on five streets, but that work will hardly touch the massive scope of the city's deplorable road conditions.

And, the financial inability to perform needed maintenance such as road-surface crack sealing on some salvageable streets doesn't portend well for those streets' future — as well as for motorists' expensive vehicle investments.

There is no question that the city could make good use of the money that the extra two mills of taxation envisioned by Ufner would bring. But in light of the situations on the school district and county fronts, and the fact that the council for this year enacted a two-mill tax dedicated to recreation, city leaders must seek ways to make progress without further burdening the taxpayers.

Ufner's proposal at this time of the year allots plenty of opportunity to gauge taxpayers' sentiments regarding his idea. It is in city residents' best interests to watch — and participate in — the upcoming discussion about Ufner's idea.

The idea apparently will be discussed later this month.

Regardless of homeowners' efforts to improve their homes, bad streets have a negative impact on that work — in regard to how people view a neighborhood.

Unfortunately, many city neighborhoods are being victimized by street conditions that should have been addressed 20 or 30 years ago, rather than being allowed to deteriorate to their current status.