Council Names CBAC Members for 2016

Once again the City Council will work with a group of citizens on the annual budget. Each member named one resident to help with deliberations on the 2016 budget.

The Citizens' Budget Advisory Committee this year includes Eric Graham, named to the committee by Councilwoman Gloria Taylor; Sal Carrano, named by Councilwoman Tracey Brown; Jan Massey Thomas Crownover, named by Councilwoman Rebecca Williams; Delois Dameron, named by Councilwoman Diane Toliver; Leighton St. Patrick Williams, named by Councilman Barry Goode; Alma Blanco, named by Councilwoman Bridget Rivers; and Nathan Vaughn, named by Council President Cory Storch.

Over the years, the administration and council have taken various approaches to dealing with the annual budget process. The administration prepares the budget based on requests from the division and department heads, which may be modified. It is submitted to the council for introduction, after which it is called the council's budget, subject to changes by the governing body. The council may hold hearings with department and division heads before deciding on any cuts or changes. At times, either or both the administrative and legislative branches have hired budget consultants to assist in the budget process.

The CBAC and the consultant, if any, may report to the council and public on the budget.

Finally, there is a public hearing on the budget as amended by the council and a vote to pass it. Transfers can be made toward the end of the budget year if necessary.

At this point in 2016, the council has to make a schedule for budget deliberations. No consultants have been hired as yet. Last year, budget deliberations did not start until April and the budget was not passed until June. The city operated on temporary appropriations from January until budget passage.

Here is a post on the end of the  budget process for 2015.

And here is part of the city's special charter regarding the budget process:

5.5    The executive budget.

The mayor, with the assistance of the city administrator, shall review the various budget proposals, estimates of revenues, and related data, and shall, in the exercise of his discretion and judgment, prepare and submit to the council the budget document. The current operating expense budget and capital budget included in the budget document shall be known as the executive budget. The budget document shall be transmitted by the mayor to the council not less than 30 days prior to the last day for introduction of the budget ordinance as prescribed by the local budget law.

5.6    Action by the council.

    (a)     The council shall consider the executive budget, make available for public distribution copies of the budget document, and cause a budget ordinance to be introduced, published and hearing thereon held pursuant to the local budget law.

    (b)     The council may increase, decrease, or eliminate any item in the executive budget for current operating expenses, except that it may not increase any item unless, upon separate motion as to each increase, 2/3 of the members of the council shall vote in favor thereof.

    (c)     The council may include, exclude, increase, or decrease a capital outlay or capital project contained in the executive budget, and may add capital outlays and capital projects thereto. Any capital outlay or project not included in the executive budget shall be referred to the planning board for a report and recommendation prior to council's action thereon. The planning board shall report within 30 days and may recommend either that the project or outlay be approved or that it be disapproved or deferred. In the event that the planning board should recommend that the project or outlay be disapproved or deferred, such project or outlay shall not be included in the budget adopted by the council except upon a favorable vote of 2/3 of the members of the council, upon separate motion as to each project or outlay. If the planning board should fail to report within 30 days, it shall be deemed to recommend approval. The requirements of this section shall be in addition to any imposed by the Municipal Planning Act (1953) and the local budget law.

--Bernice