[Archived] Question #01: What is the proposed schedule and add/delete process for FY 2019 budget deliberations?

Question:

What is the proposed schedule and add/delete process for FY 2019 budget deliberations?

Response:

This memo outlines the proposed schedule for FY 2019 budget deliberations and the add/delete process. This memo includes:

1. The due date for budget questions to receive responses in time for add/delete (Friday, April 13^th).
2. An overview of the add/delete process and timeline, including the deadline for add/delete proposals (Thursday, April 19^th). City Council established the add/delete process rules of engagement in Resolution No. 2797 adopted on November 14, 2017.
3. A timeline with specific dates for public hearings, publication of public notices, worksessions and budget-related legislative or special meetings.

Staff Responses to Council Questions on the Proposed Budget and Capital Improvement Program

All questions from members of Council should be sent to OMB Director Morgan Routt by e-mail or asked at Council meetings or work sessions. Staff’s practice is to respond to all questions as soon as feasible. The City Manager may also discuss questions with individual members as needed. The sooner a question is asked, the more likely it is to receive a full and complete answer in time to influence the add/delete process. Depending on the complexity of the question, information requested after Friday, April 13^th may be too late for Council members to receive a complete response by Thursday, April 19^th, the due date for the City Council budget add/delete proposal forms.  

Add/Delete Process: The City Council shall follow the process outlined below. This process is compliant with the add/delete process as outlined in City Council adopted Resolution 2797.

1. Continue the add/delete spreadsheet that was produced by OMB prior to the FY 2016 budget process and reintroduced in the FY 2017 budget process.
2. A City Council budget proposal form will be required in order to add or delete anything from the City Manager’s Proposed Budget. The form will require the following prior to Council consideration:
   • Additional information related to how the change advances the Council’s goals/priorities.
   • Additional information related to how this change impacts the performance of that program, service or goal. 
   • The support of at least 3 of 7 Council members (the original sponsor and two-co sponsors).
   • Must be accompanied by an add/delete spreadsheet prepared by the Council member or OMB in which the sum of the individual Council member’s adds and deletes, including items originally sponsored by that member, are in balance or produce a revenue surplus.
3. The completed City Council budget proposal form must be returned to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB), with each of the steps from #2 above completed, at least 14 days prior to the adoption of the budget [for FY 2019, April 19].
4. A combined list of all City Council budget proposals that meet the criteria in #2, any technical adjustments from OMB, and any City Manager recommended changes, will be provided and discussed at the 2nd Legislative Meeting in April [for FY 2019, April 24].
5. Council will work with OMB to refine/develop funding figures based on the proposals submitted, to be completed 7 days prior to budget adoption [for FY 2019, April 26].
6. Completed Council budget proposals, with funding, will be circulated to Council and the public the Friday prior to budget adoption [for FY 2019, April 27].
7. City Council will be required to keep the budget in balance once all decisions are made.
8. Final decisions will be made 72 hours prior to budget adoption and discussed at a Special City Council work session [for FY 2019, April 30].
9. Final decisions will be made available to the public 48 hours prior to budget adoption [for FY 2019, May 1].
10. Budget Adoption will occur on May 3, 2018 with all City Council Budget Proposals, those approved and those not approved, made public upon adoption of the budget.

Council will be required to either increase tax/fee rates or make cuts to other programs to fund their priorities in order to maintain a balanced budget. Budget adoption will occur on May 3, 2018 with all City Council budget proposals, those approved and those not approved, made public upon adoption of the budget.

The City Council budget proposal form is attached to this memo. Please fill out the form electronically (preferred for ease in distributing) or by hand and submit the completed forms to OMB by Thursday, April 19, 2018.

Proposed Schedule

Below is the timeline recommended by staff for the FY 2019 budget approval process, based on the budget calendar recently adopted by City Council. The timeline includes the actions required by statute to be taken by certain dates for adopting the real estate and personal property tax ordinances.

Other considerations that shaped this schedule include:

• The budget public hearing is to be held Monday, March 12, 2018 at 4:00 pm.  This schedule allows Council to have public input from the hearing available to it before it establishes a maximum real estate tax rate to advertise on Wednesday, March 14, 2018.   
• City Council should decide the maximum possible real estate tax rate to advertise 30 days before a public hearing on that rate is held. Such a public hearing is scheduled for Saturday, April 14, 2018. Therefore, Council must make this maximum real estate tax rate determination during a special legislative meeting following the scheduled work session for Wednesday, March 14, 2018. The same schedule applies to the personal property tax rate.

FY 2019 BUDGET WORK SESSION AND HEARING SCHEDULE ACTION DATES

	Tuesday,  February 20, 2018	Proposed Budget Presentation and  Worksession #1: Revenues City Hall (301 King Street), City Council Chambers (7:00 PM)
	Thursday, February 22, 2018	Public Budget Presentation Beatley Library, 5005 Duke Street (7:00 PM)
	Monday,  February 26, 2018	Worksession #2: Alexandria City Public Schools ACPS Headquarters, 1340 Braddock Rd. (1st Floor Board Room) (7:00 PM)
	Wednesday,  March 7, 2018	Worksession #3: Capital Improvement Program City Hall (301 King Street), Sister Cities Room #1101 (7:00 PM)
	Monday, March 12, 2018	Budget Public Hearing City Hall (301 King Street), City Council Chambers (4:00 PM)
	Wednesday, March 14, 2018	Worksession #4: Accountable, Effective & Well Managed Government City Hall (301 King Street), Sister Cities Room #1101 (7:00 PM)
	Wednesday, March 14, 2018	Set the Maximum Property Tax Rates City Hall (301 King Street), Sister Cities Room #1101 (No earlier than 8:30 PM)
	Wednesday, March 21, 2018	Worksession #5: Livable, Green & Prospering City City Hall (301 King Street), Sister Cities Room #1101 (7:00 PM)
	Wednesday, April 4, 2018	Worksession #6: Safe, Secure & Just Community City Hall (301 King Street), Sister Cities Room #1101 (7:00 PM)
	Wednesday, April 11, 2018	Worksession #7: Healthy & Thriving Residents City Hall (301 King Street), Sister Cities Room #1101 (7:00 PM)
	Saturday, April 14, 2018	Tax Rate Public Hearing City Hall (301 King Street), City Council Chambers (9:30 AM)
	Wednesday, April 18, 2018	Worksession #8: Follow-up Topics City Hall (301 King Street), Sister Cities Room #1101 (7:00 PM)
	Tuesday, April 24, 2018	Preliminary Add/Delete List Discussion City Hall (301 King Street), City Council Workroom (6:00 PM)
	Monday, April 30, 2018	Final Add/Delete List Discussion City Hall (301 King Street), Council Chambers (7:00 PM)
	Thursday, May 3, 2018	Budget Adoption City Hall (301 King Street), City Council Chambers (7:00 PM)

   

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1 – City Council Budget Proposal Form

Printable Version