City Council on Wednesday approved a tentative budget calling for no tax increase — unlike one proposed last month that would have raised property taxes by 0.15 mill to pay for street tree maintenance. Instead of a dedicated tax that would have raised $280,000 a year for trimming, planting and removal of street trees — relieving property owners of that responsibility in many cases — council will appropriate a little less than half that amount toward the program, for 2020 only. “It was hard to justify a tax increase when we have a surplus,” said Mayor Matt Pacifico, speaking ...