The Merged Government Council shall prescribe, by ordinance, the procedures and requirements for the preparation, adoption and execution of an annual operating and an annual capital improvements budget. Said ordinance shall require the use of program budgeting by the Merged Government, and shall be consistent with the budgetary provisions of Sections 5.04 and 5.10 of this Charter.
It shall be the duty of all officers, departments, agencies, boards and commissions receiving appropriations from the Merged Government to furnish the Chief Administrative Officer and the Mayor such information as may be required to prepare the annual operating and capital improvements budgets.
Subject to the provisions of Section 5.04 of this Charter, the Mayor shall submit the proposed annual operating and capital improvements budgets to the Council on or before a date fixed by ordinance, but not less than sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year. Said budgets shall be accompanied by a budget message from the Mayor containing explanations of general fiscal policies, major changes recommended for the next fiscal year and notification of those points at which the budgetary recommendations of the Chief Administrative Officer are at variance with those submitted by the Mayor. Copies of the budgets shall be filed with the County Clerk and shall be open to public inspection. A summary of the proposed budgets shall be published in one (1) or more newspapers of general circulation within the territory of the Merged Government not less than seven (7) days prior to their adoption by the Council.
Annotation—See Ordinances No. 39-75 and 1-76.