Town of Riverhead, NY Article V Fiscal Impact Statement

[Adopted 3-20-2018 by L.L. No. 5-2018]

§ 101-24 Findings; purpose.

The actions of the Town Board in enacting local laws, ordinances and resolutions without prior review of fiscal impacts has resulted in deviations from adopted budgets which have had adverse tax impacts. The purpose of this article is to require the preparation of fiscal impact statements before action by the Town Board so that the fiscal implications of proposed actions will be known in advance of decisionmaking.

§ 101-25 Fiscal impact statement requirements.

A. No proposed local law, resolution or ordinance which has or which may tend to have a fiscal impact upon Riverhead Town or any political subdivision may be enacted by the Town Board unless it shall have appended thereto a written statement as to the estimated annual fiscal impact of such legislation.

B. Local laws, resolutions or ordinances which have or which may tend to have a fiscal impact shall include but are not limited to those which:

(1) Mandate establishment of a new service or activity specifically provided by law.

(2) Modify the terms or conditions of employment for existing or future employees.

(3) Modify existing Town responsibility for any service or activity or modify existing responsibility of any other political subdivision in ways which could have a significant fiscal impact.

(4) Modify or amend the adopted Town operating or capital budget.

(5) Appropriate moneys for capital projects.

(6) Enact home rule messages.

(7) Precipitate any other direct or indirect fiscal impact.

C. Any Town Board member may request from the Town department that prepared any resolution, ordinance or local law which is subject to the provision of this subsection additional information regarding the fiscal impact statement.

(1) In cases in which the fiscal impact statement states that there would be no fiscal impact, a request may be made for a detailed justification for such conclusion.

(2) Requests made pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection C shall be in writing. Within 15 days of any request, the department head shall respond to the requesting party with such additional material or justification as may be needed to fully satisfy the request.

D. The Financial Administrator shall review the fiscal impact statement for all legislation and verify or amend that fiscal impact statement, as applicable.

E. Such statement of fiscal impact shall contain, but not be limited to, the following information:

(1) The total estimated financial cost or impact on the Town.

(2) The proposed source(s) of funding.

(3) The total estimated financial cost of impact over the five years on the Town or each political subdivision.

(4) The timing of the impact.