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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Mayor Steve Bach released his version of the city's 2013 budget to city council and the public Monday.

Nearly a year's worth of work went into the budget and the city's new strategic plan.

According to Bach, if approved, the general fund expenditures would increase by $11 million next year.

But he said that number will be partially offset by a $3.3 million gained from internal expense reductions.

The general fund forecast includes "breakthrough" improvements in service delivery.

Mayor Bach said even if the city spends more money in some areas, the budget will remain balanced as his team will use dollars within the available revenue stream without depleting reserve funds.

"Some things are going to work well, and some things maybe not, we will find out in the process," Bach said during a press conference Monday.

His budget plan includes seven key community benefits - first to restore evening bus service in the city, and next to turn back on the city's remaining 3,500 streetlights.

"We have been very concerned about our cutbacks in bus service, a lot of people depend on the buses to get to work, school, the doctor and to shop for groceries," Bach said. "We will also concurrently be doing a long-term plan to distribute our streetlights, so we do not have too much light in some areas and not enough in others."

Also on the list, neighborhood health clinics at local fire stations, the continued maintenance of community parks, and funding for stormwater priorities.

"We are also going to be improving public safety and code enforcement," he said. "We have authorized the police department to spend more money and over-hire so they can get their strength to an authorized level, and that is the same for the fire department."

The final key benefit is funding for capital improvement projects such as roads and bridges.

As for the Waldo Canyon Fire and its affect on the budget, Bach said we are "out of pocket" some money.

"We had to front all the extra costs, and the federal government is reimbursing us for some of those," he said. "So we will have an impact from the Waldo Canyon Fire, but we are absorbing it into the existing budget."

Bach said it is essential for voters to approve an extension of the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority sales tax in November for critical regional transportation projects, and the TOPS measure next April to allow more funding for park's maintenance.