The Eden Prairie City Council unanimously approved the 2007 budget and tax levy at its meeting Tuesday.

City Council member Ron Case said that Eden Prairie’s taxes are incredibly low when compared to other cities in the metro area, other cities with similar growth, even cities in other states.

He said there is a need to “rise up against the distortions,” perpetuated by the Eden Prairie Taxpayers Alliance, and a vote for the budget would be a symbolic renunciation of the group’s beliefs.

City Council member Brad Aho said he had voted against the budget in the first year of the two-year process. He said there had been proposals to reduce the budget and spending that weren’t implemented. “We have to look as a city constantly at the level of service we provide,” he said.

Council member Sherry Butcher said the city’s budget process took suggestions to heart and offered them careful consideration. She called the process meaningful and award-winning.

Council member Phil Young agreed with Aho, saying, “My vote tonight does not reflect concurrence with all the comments Mr. Case made.”

Tyra-Lukens said she was “very comfortable” with the budget and the council had made choices that reflect what the community values.

The tax levy is set to increase 7.6 percent, to $29,716,670, according to documents presented to the council.

Tax impact on a $362,200 home with a 6 percent increase in taxable value would be 3.4 percent or $36, according to a previous report to the council.

The city’s budget for 2007 is $39,061,313.