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Operating Budget Policy <br />Purpose <br />The purpose of the City's Operating Budget Policy is to ensure that the City's annual operating <br />expenditures are based on a stable stream of revenues. The policies are designed to encourage a <br />long-term perspective to avoid pursuing short-term benefits at the expense of future impacts. The intent <br />of this policy is to enable a sustainable level of services, expenditures, � property tax levies, and <br />other revenue sources includin� fee revenue. <br />Sco e <br />This policy applies most critically to those programs funded through the property tax, as fluctuations in <br />this revenue source can have substantial impacts. <br />Policv <br />:• The City will pay for all current expenditures with current revenues. The City will avoid <br />budgetary procedures that balance current expenditures at the expense of ineeting future years' <br />expenses. Specifically, accruing future year's revenues shall be prohibited. Practices to be <br />avoided include postponing expenditures, rolling over short-tenn debt, and drawin down <br />reserves beyond targeted levels , to balance the operating budget. <br />+.• The operating budget will provide for adequate maintenance and periodic replacement of <br />capital r'"�� equipment,� ��� ,. +�,o;,, ,,,.ao,.��, ,-o�i.,,.o,ror+ <br />❖ A proportionate share of the administrative and general government costs incurred by the <br />general operating fund of the City shall be borne by all funds as is practicable. Such <br />administrative charges shall be predetermined and budgeted annually <br />❖ New programs or proposals shall be reviewed in detail by City staff and both a policy and <br />fiscal analysis shall be prepared prior to budgetary inchision, and provided to the City Council <br />for review <br />�:• A request for a program or service expansion or reduction must be supported by an analysis of <br />public policy implications of the change <br />�:• A request for new personnel must be supported by an analysis demonstrating the need for the <br />position based on worlcload measures, comparative staffing levels, and City and department <br />priorities <br />❖ A request for purchase of new (additional) capital equipment must be supported by an analysis <br />demonstrating that the value of the benefits of the equipment is greater than the cost of the <br />equipment over its expected life <br />❖ As specified under City Code section 103.05 all general purchases and/or contracts in excess <br />of $5,000 must be separately approved by the Council <br />In recognition of industry-recommended budgeting practices, the City has established the following <br />budget controls: <br />•.� The City will maintain a budgetary control system to ensure adherence to the budget <br />