Modest gains in the city of Boulder’s budget will mean money to buy new firefighting equipment, hire a firefighter, fight underage drinking and plant more trees next year, among other improvements.

But the version of the budget going forward now doesn’t include money for some other items on elected leaders’ wish lists — including planting more flowers in city parks, extending library hours that were cut back three years ago and hiring two extra police officers.

The Boulder City Council sat down for a study session Tuesday night to look at next year’s budget. The budget is still in its draft stage, and it won’t be finalized until it’s been through two more City Council readings in October and November.

The revenue picture for 2009 looks fairly optimistic, Bob Eichem, a deputy city manager, told the City Council.

“At this point, it looks like we’re in good shape,” he said.

Eichem said he’s confident the city will meet budget forecasts to increase sales and use tax revenue 3.8 percent this year and another 3.9 percent next year.

That means there should be enough money to pay for:

An extra $414,000 for additional staff in the city’s Planning and Development Services Department to help move applications through the approval process more quickly, in addition to other services.

Another $50,000 for “high-priority” items for the library system, including more staff to shelve books, more maintenance and more library furnishings and materials. But officials said they haven’t been able to find the money to extend library hours that were trimmed three years ago.

$673,000 for the city’s economic vitality program, which is still being paid for with one-time funding. City leaders talked Tuesday night about eventually dedicating ongoing revenue to pay for the program, which aims to lure businesses to Boulder and keep them in the city.

A $21,000 boost in ongoing funding to the police department’s budget to pay for preventing underage drinking and other alcohol-related problems.

$50,000 to study building an early childhood education center at the former Mapleton Elementary School, $85,000 to hire another firefighter, $100,000 to replace firefighting equipment, $32,000 in ongoing money for tree-planting, $35,000 for youth-risk programs, $50,000 in ongoing money for Boulder Housing Partners and $20,000 in one-time money on “diversity and inclusion” efforts.

Elected leaders said they’re ready to stop paying any operational expenses for Boulder Community Media, which runs public-access television. After cutting funding for Boulder’s Channel 54, the City Council last year approved spending $70,000 in one-time funds on an educational channel.

Mayor Shaun McGrath said elected leaders might be willing to provide a small amount of money — once — if officials from Boulder Community Media come forward with a plan to support their activities in the future from non-city sources.

City leaders also said they’re worried about budget numbers from the utilities department that call for 8 percent hikes in water rates for the next three years to pay for improved infrastructure.

“I don’t think a 24 percent increase over three years is going to be acceptable to people,” City Councilwoman Susan Osborne said.

City leaders said they’ll want to see more precise calculations — and options for making improvements without sharply increasing rates — before they approve new rates.