Laserfiche WebLink
OPERATING BUDGET POLICIES <br />PURPOSE <br />To ensure the City's annual operating expenditures are determined ', <br />based on a stable stream of expenditures. The policies are <br />designed to encourage a long-term perspective to avoid pursuing ' <br />short-term benefits at the expense of future problems. The <br />policies will enable a stable level of services, expenditures, <br />and tax levies. ' <br />SCOPE <br />These policies apply most critically to those programs funded ', <br />through the property tax, because it is most difficult to deal <br />with fluctuations in this revenue source. <br />POLICY <br />. The City will pay for all current expenditures with current <br />revenues. The City will avoid budgetary procedures that <br />balance current expenditures at the expense of ineeting future <br />years' expenses. Specifically, accruing future year's <br />revenues shall be prohibited. Specific practices to be <br />avoided include postponing expenditures, rolling over short- <br />term debt, and using reserves to balance the operating <br />budget. <br />The budget will provide for adequate maintenance of capital <br />plant and equipment, and for their orderly replacement. <br />A proportionate share of the Administrative and General <br />Government costs incurred by the general operating fund of <br />the City shall be borne by all funds as is practicable. Such <br />administrative charges shall be predetermined and budgeted <br />annually. <br />. New programs or proposals shall be reviewed in detail by City <br />staff, and both a policy and fiscal analysis shall be <br />prepared prior to budgetary inclusion, and provided to the <br />City Council for its review. <br />A request for a program or service expansion or <br />reduction must be supported by an analysis of public <br />policy implications of the change. <br />. A request for new personnel must be supported by an <br />analysis demonstrating the need for the position <br />based on workload measures, comparative staffing <br />levels, and department priorities. <br />. A request for purchase of new (additional) capital <br />equipment must be supported by a net present value <br />analysis demonstrating the present value of the <br />benefits of the equipment is greater than the cost of <br />the equipment over the expected life of the <br />equipment. <br />E-1 <br />