VIDALIA &045; With no discussion and no questions from the public, the Vidalia Board of Aldermen on Tuesday passed the budget for the fiscal year 2003-2004.

The budget &045; which includes revised figures for the fiscal year ended June 30 &045; shows the town with revenues and expenses down from what had been budgeted for the previous year.

In the just ended fiscal year, the town took in $16.7 million in total revenue, with expenditures at $20.3 million. Transfers from the sales tax fund, hydro royalty fund and utility fund help pay the difference.

The budget had originally called for $18.4 million in revenue.

Next year, revenue is budgeted at $17.7 million and expenses at $18.12 million.

No pay raises are budgeted for town employees because the cost of medical insurance, retirement and recent hires will increase total payroll by $231,000.

Little is new in the actual budget, but Town Manager Kenneth Davis points out in his introduction to the document that rate increases for gas and water could be possible in the future to help meet costs.

&uot;In the event that the cost of natural gas increases substantially, it will be necessary to raise the rates charged for gas,&uot; Davis wrote. &uot;Additionally, previously anticipated savings in payroll and chemical costs of operating the new water plant have not been realized. Therefore the water department is operating at a deficit, and before the town will be eligible for certain federal grants these rates will have to be increased so that the combined water/sewer departments operate at a break even.&uot;