The budget battle continues in Davenport and now city leaders are saying residents should come out the winners.

City leaders spent Saturday morning looking at the budget, talking about the new library and the sewer tax. They say it will be raised by 20%, down from the 50 that was originally proposed.

That's because the state kicked in nearly $10 million to help with improvements to the sewer system. Some residents have spoken out, upset the city is raising rates at all given the tough times. But city leaders say Davenport has gotten by with the current rates long enough.

"You can't go for 18 years and not increase something like sewers," says 3rd Ward Ald. Bill Boom. "We're an old city and part of the problem with having an old city is we have infrastructure that needs to be repaired. It hasn't been done for a number of years."

City leaders are expected to vote on the rate hike by the end of this month. They'll have the formal budget approved by March 15th.