The council gave preliminary approval to Iorio's plan but called for $500,000 more for south Tampa drainage improvements and $670,000 for a second ambulance in New Tampa.
Flooding from a month of storms shows south Tampa needs immediate help, such as dredging Lake Kipling, not just studies of decades-long problems, Councilman John Dingfelder said.
``We need to show ... that we are not just talking,'' said Dingfelder, who represents south Tampa.
Councilman Shawn Harrison, who represents New Tampa, said he has sought a second ambulance in the fast- growing area for four years. Accident victims can't afford to wait at least 20 minutes for a backup ambulance based near Busch Gardens, he said.
``This is a matter of life and death,'' he said.
Iorio's $674 million proposal for the budget year that begins Oct. 1 represents an increase of about $28 million, or 4 percent, from the current budget.
The increase comes in part from more spending for the police and fire departments, new construction projects and added personnel costs.
Iorio also plans to spend 16 percent more for neighborhood investments, which include street repaving, new sidewalks and street signs.
The budget calls for the city property tax rate, $6.539 per $1,000 of taxable value, to remain the same for the 16th consecutive year.
At that rate, the owner of a $150,000 home claiming the $25,000 homestead exemption would pay about $817 for the city portion of property taxes.
Annual city funding for projects to help drain stormwater has remained about $3.9 million for a decade. The city also generates about $1.8 million from a stormwater tax imposed last year, which charges most homeowners about $12 a year or less.
The tax pays for maintenance of existing drainage facilities and planning for new ones. Money in Iorio's budget for stormwater-related construction includes $575,000 for drainage improvements near West Tampa Elementary School, $420,000 at Lake Edna and $400,000 along Neptune Street from Grady Avenue to Manhattan Avenue.
Iorio has agreed the city must find more money for flooding improvements.
Public Works Administrator Steve Daignault told the council that the mayor's administration by this time next year plans to propose stormwater improvements such as more retention ponds and larger drainage pipes.
Paying for that could involve increasing the stormwater tax and finding state and federal help, Daignault said.
``We need to crank into our stormwater budget a sizable amount of money,'' he said.
Cutting items, such as $200,000 for firefighters' pants, and tapping available contingency funds of about $2.5 million were among council suggestions to free up money.
Flooded out and fed up, south Tampa resident Cynthia Hogue said she doesn't believe help is coming. Instead of paying to fix flooding, the city has focused for decades on paving the way for new development, Hogue said.
``All you are doing is building and building,'' she told the council. ``That water has got to go somewhere.''
The council voted 6-0 to give Iorio's budget preliminary approval. Council Chairwoman Gwen Miller missed the vote to represent Tampa on a sister cities trip to Oviedo, Spain.
In other action, the council gave final approval to let the Tampa Bay Buccaneers build a practice facility at the former Tampa Bay Center that could open in 2006.
Reporter Andy Reid can be reached at (813) 259-8409.