City Manager presents $751.9 million proposed budget to Council

(May 16, 2006) – City Manager Jim Couch has presented City Council with a proposed revenue budget of $751.9 million for FY 2006-07.

The budget for the General Fund, which pays for most day-to-day City services, is proposed at $321.1 million – a 6.2 percent increase from the FY 05-06 amended budget.

“This budget continues the City’s history of providing high quality services to our citizens and focuses on the results they expect,” City Manager Jim Couch wrote in the budget’s transmittal letter.

Public safety services, including Police, Fire and Municipal Courts, again make up the largest part of the budget, comprising 51 percent of the total operating budget and 63 percent of the General Fund budget.

The proposed budget includes 23 new positions. Eleven of them are in Public Works, where the City is moving aggressively forward to complete General Obligation Bond projects and to respond to concerns revealed in the recent citizen survey about repairs and improvements to City streets.

Another seven positions were created in Parks and Recreation, which has taken over management of Stage Center. The remaining new positions are scattered across other departments.

Five departments submitted budget proposals under a new format. Finance, Fire, Neighborhood Services, Parks and Public Works presented their proposals in the ‘Leading for Results’ format that will eventually be used by all City departments. A ‘Leading for Results’ summary is included in the budget.

Council members also have the chance again this year to choose from among $3.1 million worth of additional items which items can be funded with $1.5 million of available funds. Items on the list include additional animal control officers, funds for public art, improvements in the Public Works Development Center and additional street maintenance projects. Council members will submit individual ballots indicating their priorities among the 32 separate items, and the votes will be tallied to determine which should be funded. Council has been asked to submit priorities by June 2.

Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget on June 13. The City’s fiscal year begins July 1.

Download the proposed budget