New London — The City Council unanimously set the tax rate at 27.5 mills Tuesday night to cover the $82 million 2013-14 budget.

The new rate, which takes effect July 1, represents a 3.38 increase in taxes.

Councilor Adam Sprecace, one of three councilors who voted against the budget last week, said he approved the tax rate because he was not disputing the bottom line of the budget, just the way the money is being distributed.

The $82 million budget represents $41.6 million for general government and $40.4 million for education.

The council also, at the request of City Center District, approved a $100,000 district budget for 2013-14 and set a 1.17 mill tax rate.

City Center District, created by the council in 1994, is made up of the owners of about 150 buildings in the downtown area. The money raised by the tax is used to improve and beautify downtown.

— Kathleen Edgecomb