The city of Bellevue is proposing for the first time in six years raising its share of property tax 5 percent in the 2015-17 biennium to generate revenue it can use to take on critical, but unfunded capital improvement projects.

City Council received its first of possibly several budget presentations by staff on Monday, a public hearing to be held on Nov. 17.

The $1.47-billion budget calls on the 5 percent property tax increase, representing less than 1 percent of the overall tax increase, to be bonded over 20 years to provide $25 million in enhanced revenue. For a property owner with a home valued at $500,000, that would mean another $25 in annual property tax payments.

“This is something — again — the council does not take lightly,” said City Manager Brad Miyake on Tuesday.

Staff proposes funding priorities for the enhanced revenue includes completing one side of sidewalk on Newport Way at $7 million, $5 million for a downtown transportation plan and access improvements to the Northeast Sixth Station, $2 million to design Phase 2 of the West Lake Sammamish Parkway and $8.5 million for an opportunity fund that the city council would decide on.

There is also another $2.5 million in enhanced revenue proposed for Community Connectivity, the city’s effort to expand Wi-Fi access to underserved parts of Bellevue by leveraging its own fiber network.

There are $1.2 billion in identified capital improvement needs, which led the city council to direct staff to begin exploring the potential for a ballot measure next year for additional funding and other revenue options.

The biennium budget also includes three projects identified by the Bellevue Fire Department as top priorities in its facilities plan, including $12 million to replace the 47-year-old Fire Station No. 5 in Clyde Hill, $7.25 million to acquire property downtown for a future fire station and $5 million to improve the city’s public safety training center.