65C - REVISED BUDGET POLICY - Laserfiche WebLink

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In order to ensure proper maintenance of a continued balanced budget, the City Council will adopt a compensation and retirement benefit directive that provides guidance and conforms with the established budget directives and reserve requirements as outlined in this policy. General Fund Reserves In order to ensure a continued orderly operation of City Government and to address any unforeseen economic occurrences the City shall establish two General Fund Reserve Accounts: An Unassigned Reserve Account and an Economic Uncertainty Reserve Account. Unassigned Reserve Account -In accordance with GFOA and in order to maintain the highest level of fiscal health, the City will maintain under the Unassigned Reserve Account designation a minimum reserve level of between 5 and 15% of recurring General Fund operating expenditures. At no time Is it permissible for the reserve requirement to fall below 5 %. However, it is the intent of the City to ensure a significant reserve position of at least 15 %. Upon attainment of 15 %, the City shall consider and if approved continue to strive for an overall goal of 20% for the Unassigned Reserve Account. Such reserves shall not he used to fund any form of operating expenditures or to cover any budgetary shortfall other than to preserve ongoing cash flow needs for the City. if at any point in time It is deemed that the City budget is performing at a structural deficit, the use of the Unassigned Reserve Account to balance the budget is strictly prohibited unless approved by two thirds of the City Council. If approved, a corresponding plan to replenish the reserves must be adopted by the same vote. Economic Uncertainty Reserve Account - It is hereby established that upon fulfillment of achieving a minimum Unassigned Reserve Account of 10 %, the City shall consider the establishment of a reserve account for Economic Uncertainty. The reserve for Economic Uncertainty is established to offset any major variations in tax receipts as well as fees and charges or unforeseen cost Increases. It is hereby established the City maintain a minimum reserve level of 1 to 10% of recurring General Fund revenues with an objective of attaining a maximum goal of 10%. - Upon determination by the Finance Department, that negative variations in projected revenues from the largest revenue sources defined as Sales tax, Property tax, Property tax in Lieu, Utility Users tax, Business Tax, and Hotel Visitors tax exceed 2% with no corresponding General Fund expenditure offset, then the City Council may authorize use of the Economic Uncertainty Reserve by a two-thirds vote to offset the revenue loss prior to the close of the fiscal year end. A corresponding plan to replenish the reserve account must be adopted by the same vote. Upon determination by the Finance Department and report submission to the City Council that a structural deficit exists in the budgeted forecast of the upcoming fiscal year, the City Council may authorize use of the Economic Uncertainty Reserve to balance the budget by two thirds Vote of the Council. However, authorization to utilize the Economic Uncertainty Reserve beyond two consecutive years is strictly prohibited. General Work Plan for Achieving General Fund Reserve Obiectives The following work plan is Intended to reach the unassigned reserve account of 15% in phases. The initial objective is to attain at least a 5% threshold over the course of the following fiscal year and between 7% and 8% ,> . Budget & Financial Polices 65C -8 Page 2