The new budget was presented this week in Cape May, with an increase in the tax rate of 1.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. City Manager Bruce MacLeod presented a budget to council that showed an increase of 5 percent, from $15.6 million to just over $16 million. The plan calls for no reduction in services and no layoffs. The largest increase in the budget occurred in non-discrescretionary spending, which includes debt service, pensions and insurance.