(a) Notice and Hearing. According to the provisions of law, 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 (2) weeks after such publication, for a public hearing on the budget.
(b) Amendment Before Adoption. After the public hearing, the Council may adopt the budget with or without amendment. In amending the budget, it may add or increase programs or amounts and may delete or decrease any programs or amounts, except expenditures required by law or for debt service of estimated cash deficit, provided that no amendment to the budget shall increase the authorized expenditures to an amount greater than the total of estimated income.
(c) Adoption. The annual budget shall be adopted by ordinance or resolution on or about the first day of each year. If Council fails to adopt the budget within the required time, the amounts appropriated for current operation for the current fiscal year shall be deemed adopted and authorized for the ensuing fiscal year on a month-to-month basis, with all items in it prorated accordingly, until such time as Council adopts the budget for the ensuing fiscal year.
(d) Council Submission of Budget. The Council shall consider the budget and adopt it, with or without amendments, as the budget of the City for the ensuing year and transmit it through the City Manager to the County Budget Commission in the form and at the time required by law. (Amended Nov. 3, 1998)