The fiscal year shall begin on the first day
of January and end on the last day of December unless the Council
shall otherwise ordain.
The Director of Accounts and Finances shall
prepare and deliver a budget message. The budget message shall explain
the budget, both in fiscal terms and in terms of the work program.
It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the city for the
ensuing fiscal year, describe the important features of the budget
and indicate any major changes from the current year in financial
policies, expenditures and revenues, together with the reasons for
the changes. The budget message shall also summarize the debt position
and the five-year capital program and include such other information
that the Director of Accounts and Finances deems desirable.
The Council shall publish, within twenty (20)
days of receipt, the general summary of the budget, any proposed amendments
to the budget and a notice stating:
A. The times and places where copies of the general summary
and budget and proposed amendments are available for inspection by
the public.
B. The time and place, not less then seven (7) days after
the notice and at least fourteen (14) days before adoption, of a public
hearing on the budget.
The Council may amend the budget by ordinance
during the fiscal year for which the budget was adopted; provided,
however, that such amendment follows a public hearing and that such
amendment shall not result in expenditures exceeding the estimated
income determined as of the time of the amendment. The Council at
all times may transfer part or all of any unencumbered appropriation
balance among programs within a department or departments without
a public hearing.
At the time of adopting the annual budget, the
Council shall simultaneously levy sufficient taxes from authorized
sources which, with other revenues and available receipts and balance,
will provide for a balanced budget.
Adoption of the budget and amendments thereof
shall constitute appropriations for the expenditures set forth therein.
[Amended 1-8-2007 by Ord. No. 1935]
No payment of any funds of the city shall be
made unless provided for in the budget as may be amended from time
to time and specifically approved by the Council; provided, however,
that payroll and utility expenditures may be made at the direction
of the Fiscal Director where based upon a prior ordinance or contract.
All checks and drafts of the city shall be signed by the Director
of Accounts and Finances and shall be countersigned by the Director
of Administration and Development. Disbursements of payroll checks
or drafts containing imprinted signatures of the proper municipal
officials or bank officials shall be permitted in connection with
use of data-processing equipment when contracted for with banking
institutions, and machine-imprinted signatures of the proper city
officials may be used for disbursements of city checks or drafts,
provided that such imprinting machines are designed for operation
only by authorized personnel.
Funds for specific capital expenditures may
be established, managed, transferred and distributed pursuant to the
Third Class City Code, § 2403, Subdivision 1.1, or as amended.
The proposed and adopted budget and proposed
and adopted capital program shall be public record.
The Council shall provide for at least an annual
independent audit of city receipts, expenditures, accounts and reports
by a Pennsylvania certified public accountant or a certified public
accounting firm chosen by the Mayor and approved by the Council. The
results of the annual audit and financial statement of the fiscal
affairs of the city, with any recommendations, shall be included in
an annual report by the Fiscal Director. The annual audit shall be
conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing principles.
The financial report shall be prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles and shall include a balance sheet for
each fund and, on a consolidated fund basis, reflecting all current
assets, liabilities and fund balances.
The borrowing of money by the city shall continue
to be limited in amounts and governed by procedures in the Local Government
Unit Debt Act (Act 185 of 1972), as amended, or other laws of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.