When the city splits up its annual budget, someone always asks for a bigger share.

The city’s own employees have been the most persistent critics of the $130 million budget. The council will vote on the budget Monday.

City Employees United formed this spring, with the stated goal of improving communication between city employees and the staff and council members who establish city policy. Representatives from the group have spoken at City Council meetings, discussed policy with other employees and took their message to the street in a parade.

Specifically, the group wants the city to rein in spending so it can devote more funds to employee salaries and benefits.

In a letter given to council members and the media last month, the group pointed to a half-cent sales tax St. Joseph residents approved in April 2001, under the impression that revenue would be used to bring employee benefits and salaries up to an “acceptable” level. More than 200 city employees signed the letter.

“It is ironic how every year at budget time, we have to listen to the City Council say there is no money to pay our employees a fair wage,” the letter said. “Yet when special projects arise, the council has no problem finding extra money.”

The group particularly objects to the 50-plus employees hired since the sales tax was implemented in 2001.

The proposed 2009-10 budget would have added another 11 positions — 17 if six police officers that could be funded by a federal grant are counted — before council members decided to cut four of the new positions during budget negotiations in May.

Once again, employees will not receive pay raises promised in the pay matrix implemented alongside the voter-approved sales tax. The city has estimated it would cost about $1 million to reinstitute the matrix, with costs rising each successive year.

Shawn Henderson, spokesman for City Employees United, spoke with employees before the council began budget deliberations to warn them of the situation ahead. Many were concerned about the lack of pay raises, combined with increased health insurance costs.

“If you can’t take care of the people you have, it doesn’t make sense to add more,” Mr. Henderson said. “If this was a private business, we would be going bankrupt.”

The city’s budget will exceed $130 million in 2010, up from $110 million in the previous fiscal year. The increase will come from the sale of $45 million in bonds related to the city’s Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan.

Clinton Thomas can be reached

at clintonthomas@npgco.com.