The fiscal year of the municipality shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December of each year.
On or before the first day of November of each year, the Manager shall submit to Council a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying message.
The Manager's budget message shall explain the budget both in fiscal terms and in terms of programs. It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the municipality 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 municipality's debt position, and include such other material as the Manager deems desirable.
1. 
The budget shall provide a complete financial plan of all Municipal funds and activities for the ensuing fiscal year and, except as required by this Charter, shall be in such form as the Manager deems desirable but must also be in such form as 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 of activity, and object. The budget shall contain, among other things, the following:
A. 
It shall begin with a general summary of its contents.
B. 
It shall show in detail all estimated income, indicating the existing and proposed tax levies, as well as other assessments, rentals, fees, charges, and other income.
C. 
It shall show the number of proposed employees in each job classification and the number presently employed in each job classification.
D. 
It shall be so arranged as to show comparative figures for actual and estimated income and expenditures for the current fiscal year and actual income and expenditures of the preceding fiscal year.
E. 
It shall indicate proposed operating expenditures, including debt service, during the ensuring fiscal year, detailed by offices, departments and agencies, in terms of their respective work programs and the proposed methods of financing such expenditures.
F. 
It shall indicate proposed capital expenditures during the ensuring fiscal year, detailed by offices, departments and agencies when practicable, and the proposed method of financing each such capital expenditure.
G. 
It shall indicate any anticipated net surplus or deficit for the ensuing fiscal year of each utility owned or operated by the municipality and the proposed method of its disposition; subsidiary budgets for each such utility giving detailed income and expenditure information shall be attached as appendixes to the budget.
2. 
The total of proposed expenditures shall not exceed the total of estimated income.
1. 
Council shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality the general summary of the budget and a notice stating:
A. 
The times when and the places where copies of the message and budget are available for inspection by the public; and
B. 
The place and time, not less than two weeks after such publication, for a public hearing on the budget.
2. 
After the public hearing, the Council may adopt the budget with or without amendment. In amending the budget, Council may make changes in any scope or amount, except for expenditures required by law or for debt service. Such changes may include, but not be limited to, additions or deletions of programs as well as increases or decreases in funds.
3. 
Should Council fail to adopt a budget on or before the last day of the last month of the fiscal year currently ending, the amounts appropriated for current operation of the current fiscal year shall be deemed adopted for the ensuring fiscal year on a month-to-month basis with all items in it prorated accordingly, until such time as Council adopts a budget for the ensuing fiscal year.
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.
Adoption of the budget and amendments thereof shall constitute appropriations for the expenditures set forth therein.
No payment of any funds of the municipality shall be made unless provided for in the budget; provided, however, that payroll and utility expenditures may be made at the direction of the Manager where based upon a prior ordinance or contract.
1. 
On or before the first day of August of each year, the Manager shall prepare and submit to the Council a five-year capital program. The capital program shall include:
A. 
A clear general summary of its contents.
B. 
A list of all capital improvements proposed to be undertaken during the next five fiscal years, with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity for such improvements.
C. 
Cost estimates, method of financing and recommended time schedules for each such improvement.
D. 
The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities to be constructed or acquired.
E. 
Comparison between projected and actual capital programs for the previous 12 months.
2. 
The program shall include capital improvements still pending or in process of construction or acquisition, revised to reflect latest costs and plans presented in the same manner.
1. 
Council shall publish in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the municipality the general summary of the capital program and a notice stating:
A. 
The times when and places where copies of the capital program are available for inspection by the public; and
B. 
The place and time, not less than two weeks after such publication, for a public hearing on the capital program.
2. 
Council by resolution shall adopt the capital program with or without amendment after the public hearing.
Copies of the budget and the capital program as adopted shall be public records and shall be made available to the public at the office of the Manager.
Council shall provide for in independent annual audit of all Municipal revenues and accounts by a certified public accountant or firm of certified public accountants duly licensed in Pennsylvania. Council may provide for more frequent audits, as well as special audits, as it deems necessary. The results of the annual audit and a financial statement of the fiscal affairs of the municipality shall be presented to Council and published in a newspaper circulating generally in the municipality by April 1 of the year following the fiscal year audited. Council may, without requiring competitive bids, designate such accountant or firm annually or for a period not exceeding three years; provided, that the designation for any particular fiscal year shall be made no later than 30 days after the beginning of such fiscal year.
In fixing the rate of any municipal tax that may now or hereafter be authorized by law, Council shall abide by the limits established by the General Assembly for Second Class Townships.