While Fairfield’s 2013 budget has fewer expenditures than in 2011, some departments have had to dip into the general fund to sustain themselves at the same level of service.

The city’s overall revenues are expected to be $67.8 million, a 3 percent increase over 2012 estimates. Expenditures are projected at $63.2 million, a 2 percent decrease behind 2012, said Mary Hopton, the city’s finance director.

Helping matters is the fact that voters passed a measure to reallocate the city’s taxes, enabling Fairfield to plan to boost its general fund balance, which is expected to end 2013 at $9.08 million.

“We actually have decreased the budget, because this was all done before the reapportionment, so all expenditures are based on what we’re doing right now. So any money that’s in excess is going to be adding to the fund balance,” Hopton said.

With November’s vote, the tax allocation from the general fund changed from 1.1 percent to 1.2 percent. In turn, the allocation to the street and capital improvement funds are being reduced from 0.2 percent to 0.15 percent. This reallocates $1.5 million to the general fund, city officials have said.

However, the fire department is drawing on the general fund more than usual. Because the state is doing away with the personal property tax, the fire department lost $400,000 from its revenue stream. That means the fire levy fund and the EMS fees cannot cover operations, so the general fund has to make the department whole, Hopton said.

It’s not uncommon for the general fund to bolster departments; the street department always receives money from the general fund. But this is the first time the fire department has had to do so.

Nevertheless, Vice Mayor Terry Senger said he was impressed with the operations of the fire department in particular.

“Your budget this year is $5.2 million … to do what you’re doing for less than half of what our neighboring communities do is just amazing to me,” he said.

There will be a public hearing on the city’s budget at the council’s meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10.