Excluding more files from danted

Hello,

I'm packaging the dante server, which I inherited, and the git
setup is upstream and debian/ merged, patches un-applied. I want
to exclude more files in Files-Excluded in debian/control (but
there is no new upstream release).  I have extended that list and
removed the files from the git repository locally.  This change
necessitates a bump to the upstream version, no?  Is a new version
of 1.4.4+dfsg2-1  (it is currently 1.4.4+dfsg-1+b1) acceptable?

Also, when I upload the new version, I will need to upload a new
source tar.  Can I make it using

git archive -- ':(exclude)debian'

or is there some reason I must/should use another tool, like uscan?


Thanks,
Antonio Russo