On or before the 5th day of March of each year, the Mayor shall submit to the Council a budget for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying message.
(1) Notice and Hearing. 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:
(a) The times and places where copies of the message and budget are available for inspection by the public, and
(b) The time and place, not less than two weeks after such publication, for a public hearing on the budget.
(2) 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 or for 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.
(3) Adoption. The Council shall adopt the budget on or before the date it enters its order adopting the statutory levy estimate and laying the levies, but in any event not later than the 28th day of March in the fiscal year currently ending. Adoption of the budget shall constitute appropriations of the amounts specified herein as expenditures from the funds indicated. Adoption shall be by resolution. The levy order and State required budget form shall be adopted by separate resolutions except that State required estimates and budget form may be approved in the same resolution by which the City budget is adopted. (Amended 8-23-16.)