ARTICLE VI: GENERAL FINANCE
SECTION 6.01 FISCAL YEAR.
   The fiscal year of the city shall begin on the first day of July and end on the last day of June.
SECTION 6.02 SUBMISSION OF BUDGET.
   On or before the first day of April of each year, the Manager shall submit to the Council at a regular Council meeting, a budget for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying message.
SECTION 6.03 BUDGET MESSAGE.
   The Manager's message shall explain the budget both in fiscal terms and in terms of the work programs. It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the city for the ensuing fiscal year, describe the important features of the budget, indicate any major changes from the current year in financial policies, expenditures, and revenues together with the reasons for such changes, summarize the city's debt position and include such other material as the Manager deems desirable.
SECTION 6.04 BUDGET.
   The budget shall provide a complete financial plan of all city funds and activities for the ensuing fiscal year and, except as required by law or this Charter, shall be in such form as the Manager deems desirable or the Council may require. In organizing the budget the Manager shall utilize the most feasible combination of expenditure classification by fund, organization unit, program, purpose or activity, and object. It shall begin with a clear general summary of its contents; shall show in detail all estimated income, indicating the proposed property tax levy, and all proposed expenditures, including debt service, for the ensuing fiscal year; and shall be so arranged as to show comparative figures for actual and estimated income and expenditures of the preceding fiscal year. It shall estimate and take into account any anticipated surplus or deficit as of the end of the current fiscal year, and provide for elimination of any anticipated deficit. It shall indicate in separate sections:
   (1)   Proposed expenditures for current operations during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed by offices, departments, and agencies in terms of their respective work programs, and the method of financing such expenditures;
   (2)   Proposed capital expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed by offices, departments, and agencies when practicable, and the proposed method of financing such capital expenditure; and
   (3)   Anticipated net surplus or deficit for the ensuing fiscal year of each utility owned or operated by the city and the proposed method of its disposition; subsidiary budgets for each such utility giving detailed income and expenditure information shall be attached as appendices to the budget.
   The total of proposed expenditures shall not exceed the total of estimated income.
SECTION 6.05 CAPITAL PROGRAM.
   (A)   Submission to Council. The Manager shall prepare and submit to the Council a five-year capital program at least three months prior to the final date for submission of the budget.
   (B)   Contents. The capital program shall include:
      (1)   A clear general summary of its contents;
      (2)   A list of all capital improvements which are proposed to be undertaken during the five fiscal years next ensuing, with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity for such improvements;
      (3)   Cost estimates, method of financing, and recommended time schedules for each such improvement; and
      (4)   The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities to be constructed or acquired.
   The above information may be revised and extended each year with regard to capital improvements still pending or in process of construction or acquisition.
SECTION 6.06 COUNCIL ACTION ON BUDGET.
   (A)   Notice. The Council shall publish in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the city the general summary of the budget and a notice stating:
      (1)   The times and places where copies of the message and budget are available for inspection by the public, and
      (2)   The time and place, not less than two weeks after such publication, for a public hearing on the budget.
   (B)   Hearing; amendment before adoption. At the public hearing Council shall give all interested citizens the opportunity to express their views on the proposed budget. After the hearing Council may make such amendments as will add or increase programs or amounts or delete or decrease programs or amounts, except expenditures required by law or for debt service or for estimated cash deficit. However, no amendment to the budget shall ever increase the authorized expenditures to an amount greater than the total of estimated income; nor shall any amendment increase the property tax levy proposed in the budget without a second hearing held thereon following published notice of the proposed change in tax levy and reason therefor one week prior to the second hearing. Following the making of amendments Council may adopt the budget.
   (C)   Adoption. The Council shall by ordinance adopt the budget on or before the twentieth day of the May month of the fiscal year currently ending. If it fails to adopt the budget by this date, the amounts appropriated for current operation for the current fiscal year shall be deemed adopted for the ensuing fiscal year on a month-to-month basis, with all items in it prorated accordingly, until such time as the Council adopts a budget for the ensuing fiscal year. Adoption of the budget ordinance shall constitute an appropriation of the amounts specified therein for the municipal purposes indicated, and shall constitute a levy of the property tax therein specified, which levy shall not exceed the tax rate limit stated in this Charter.
Loading...