The fiscal year of the city shall begin on the first day of
April and end on the last day of March, unless otherwise provided
by city ordinance.
At least 60 days prior to the end of each fiscal year the Chief
Administrative Officer shall submit to the council a city budget and
an accompanying budget message.
The budget shall provide a complete financial plan of all city
funds and activities for the ensuing fiscal year and, except as required
by law or this charter, shall be in such form as the Chief Administrative
Officer deems desirable or the council may require by resolution or
ordinance. The budget shall indicate in separate sections:
(a)
Proposed expenditures for current operations during the ensuing fiscal
year and the method of financing such expenditures;
(b)
Proposed capital expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year and
the proposed method of financing each such capital expenditure; and
(c)
Anticipated net surplus or deficit for the ensuing fiscal year of
each utility owned or operated by the city and the proposed method
of its disposition; subsidiary budgets for each such utility giving
detailed income and expenditure information shall be attached as appendices
to the budget.
In no event shall the total proposed expenditures for any fund
defined by the city ordinance exceed the estimated revenues to be
received, plus any unencumbered balance from the previous fiscal year,
or less any deficit estimated for the beginning of the fiscal year.
Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring the city to use any
cash balance as current revenue, or to change from a cash basis of
financing its expenditures.
(a)
Submission to council. The Chief Administrative Officer shall prepare
and submit to the council a capital program for a minimum of three
years at least four months prior to the final date for submission
of the budget.
(b)
Program requirements. The capital program shall include:
(i)
A clear general summary of its contents;
(ii)
A list of all capital improvements which are proposed to be
undertaken with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity
for such improvements;
(iii)
Cost estimates, method of financing and recommended time schedule
for each such improvement; and
(iv)
The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining facilities
to be constructed or acquired.
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The above information may be revised and extended each year
with regard to capital improvements pending or in progress.
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(a)
Notice and hearing. The council shall publish in one or more newspapers
of general circulation in the city a general summary of the budget
and a notice stating (i) the times and places where copies of the
message and budget are available for inspection by the public and
(ii) the time and place, not less than two 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 or for estimated cash deficit, provided that no amendment
to the budget shall increase the authorized expenditure to an amount
greater than the total of estimated revenues and unencumbered balance
from any previous fiscal year.
(c)
Adoption. The council shall adopt the budget for the next fiscal
year on or before the last day of the fiscal year currently ending.
If the council fails to adopt the budget by this date, the amounts
appropriated for current operation for the current fiscal year shall
be deemed adopted for the ensuing fiscal year on a month to month
basis, with all items in it prorated accordingly, until such time
as the council adopts a budget for the ensuing fiscal year. Adoption
of the budget shall constitute appropriations of the amounts specified
therein for expenditure from the funds indicated.
(a)
Notice and hearing. The council shall publish in one or more newspapers
of general circulation in the city a general summary of the capital
program and a notice stating (i) the times and places where copies
of the capital program are available for inspection by the public,
and (ii) the time and place, not less than two weeks after such publication,
for a public hearing on the capital program.
(b)
Adoption. The council by resolution shall adopt the capital program
with or without amendment after the public hearing and on or before
the last day of the current fiscal year.
Copies of the budget and the capital program as adopted shall
be public records and shall be made available to the public at suitable
places in the city.
(a)
Supplemental appropriations. If during the fiscal year the Chief
Administrative Officer certifies that there are available for appropriation
current revenues in excess of those estimated in the budget, or an
unencumbered balance from the previous fiscal year in excess of the
amount estimated in the budget, or the requirement for additional
expenditures not anticipated in the budget, the council by ordinance
may make supplemental appropriations for the year up to the amount
permitted by law and this charter.
(b)
Reduction of appropriations. If at any time during the fiscal year
it appears probable to the Chief Administrative Officer that the revenues
available will be insufficient to meet the amount appropriated, it
shall be reported to the council without delay. The Chief Administrative
Officer shall indicate the estimated amount of the deficit, any remedial
action taken and recommendations as to any other steps to be taken.
The council shall then take such further action as it deems necessary
to prevent or minimize any deficit and for that purpose it may by
ordinance reduce appropriations.
(c)
Transfer of appropriations.
(i)
Inter-departmental transfer. The Chief Administrative Officer
may authorize the transfer of unencumbered surpluses from one account
to another, within the accounts of any city department, provided that
no such transfers shall exceed such sum as may be established by ordinance
from or to any account within the fiscal year unless such transfer
is authorized by ordinance.
(ii)
Other transfer. The council may by ordinance reduce or increase
the appropriations to any account during the fiscal year by transferring
such appropriations from one account to another, provided that at
no time shall the total appropriations exceed the limit imposed by
the charter or state law.
(a)
Payments. No payment shall be made from city funds until the city
employee, so designated by ordinance, certifies there has been an
appropriation therefor and that sufficient funds remain of such appropriation
to cover such payment.
(b)
Obligations.
(i)
Current. No obligation to pay funds may be incurred by the city
except as required by this charter or in accordance with procedures
established by the city council. No other obligation of the city may
be undertaken unless approved by the city council. No ordinance undertaking
any obligation to pay funds may be finally approved until the city
employee, so designated by ordinance, certifies that sufficient funds
have been appropriated or are appropriated by such ordinance to satisfy
such obligation.
(ii)
Future. Obligations to pay funds beyond the end of the fiscal
year in which the obligation is incurred may be undertaken if:
(1)
Such obligations are to be satisfied from revenues obtained
by the issuance of bonds, or
(2)
Such obligations constitute a lease or similar agreement which
by its terms provides for the termination of any obligation extending
beyond the current fiscal year if funds are not appropriated in the
following year and sufficient funds have been appropriated to satisfy
the city's obligation upon such termination.
(3)
Such obligations are authorized by state law then in effect.
The council shall by ordinance set the tax rate and levy on
the various classes of property as soon as practicable after passage
of the ordinance approving the budget, but no later than August 15th
of each year or as otherwise provided by law. No ordinance setting
such tax rates and levy shall be so adopted until there has been a
public hearing on the proposed ordinance. Notice of such public hearing
shall be published as provided by ordinance.
The city shall be authorized to sell any bonds as may now or
hereafter be authorized by law. Bonds sold by the city may be sold
at private or public sale as authorized by law. In the event such
bonds are to be sold at public sale the same shall be sold upon sealed
proposals after reasonable public notice has been given as provided
by ordinance or otherwise by law. Any public sale shall be conducted
according to the terms and conditions as may be provided by ordinance.
