LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Kaua'i Mayor Bryan Baptiste sent the Kaua'i County Council a $155.7 million "back to basics" budget Friday, with another $61 million proposed for capital improvements.

The spending plan is 4.7 percent larger than the current budget, almost entirely due to increases in the cost of utilities, fuel and union contract agreements, Baptiste said.

The budget includes money for 14 new jobs: three Planning Department enforcement officers; three park rangers; three lifeguards; two police support personnel; one engineering clerk; a landfill worker; and an economic development clerk, Baptiste said. The lifeguards will staff new towers at Anahola and Ke'e beaches, he said.

The budget also includes $35,000 for reusable shopping bags, which will be distributed to residents as part of a joint litter-reduction program with the state Health Department.

Among capital improvement items highlighted were: a $12 million expansion of the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant; a $1.4 million renovation of the Kapa'a base yard; and purchasing of city vehicles and equipment to replace leased vehicles.

The Kaua'i Council will hold budget hearings in coming weeks to ask questions of department heads about their portions of the budget, Baptiste said.

Baptiste offered only his submittal message. The actual budget document was delivered to the council and should be available for review this week, said Kaua'i County spokeswoman Mary Daubert.

Reach Diana Leone at dleone@honoluluadvertiser.com.