§ 805. Adoption of budget.

(a)

Council review of the proposed budget. Upon receipt of the annual budget, the Council shall review the budget to determine the need for the expenditures requested and the adequacy, reliability and propriety of estimated revenues. The review will include hearings with the City Manager and department officers. At the completion of this review, the Council shall hold at least one public hearing on the budget.

(b)

Council modifications. Following public hearings, the Council may increase or decrease the amount of, or eliminate any appropriation requested by the Mayor, and may add appropriations other than those included in the budget submitted by the Mayor.

(c)

Report. Upon completion of its review of the budget, and in any case not later than the first regular meeting in March, the Council shall place on file in the office of the City Clerk a copy of the document to be considered and shall set a date for a public hearing thereon, but in no case later than the second regular meeting in March.

(d)

Adoption of the budget. At the fourth regular meeting in March the Council shall by ordinance adopt the annual budget in detail specified below, with or without alteration or amendment.

(e)

Budget requirements and appropriations. The budget as adopted shall itemize purposes of expenditure by departments, activities, functions, and character classes in not less detail than personal services, contractual services, commodities and capital outlays, and as adopted shall constitute an appropriation for the purposes stated of the sums therein set forth as appropriation and authorization of the amount to be raised by taxation for the purposes of the City, provided that the total amount appropriated shall not in any event exceed the total revenues estimated to be realized in cash during such year, plus any unencumbered balance from previous years.

(f)

Limitations on expenditures. No officer, board, department or commission shall, during any fiscal year, spend any money, incur any liability, or enter into any contract which by its terms incurs the expenditure of money for any purpose for which no appropriation is provided, or is in excess of the amount appropriated for any purpose. Any officer, head of any department, or the members of any board or commission violating this provision shall be immediately removed from office by the appointing authority.

(g)

Appropriation ordinances and establishment of tax levies. The appropriation ordinance shall contain a statement of the estimated revenues for the ensuing fiscal year. Whenever practicable, ordinances fixing the tax levies shall be passed at the time the annual appropriation ordinance is passed, but no later than the fourth regular meeting in March. The Council may pass ordinances making additional appropriations after the passage of the annual appropriation ordinance, provided that such ordinances bear the certificate of the Director of Finance that a sufficient unappropriated balance remains in the fund from which the appropriation is to be made in accordance with the provisions of this Charter.

(h)

Bond funds. Monies of bond funds shall be appropriated only for the purposes for which the bonds were authorized and issued, and at such times as the funds may be needed for those purposes.

(i)

Alteration of dates and deadlines. The Council may change the dates for the elements of the budget adoption process and for the passage of the annual appropriation and tax levy ordinances. The annual budget shall be adopted and the annual appropriation and tax levy ordinances shall be passed not later than thirty days before the beginning of the fiscal year.

(j)

General fund. All general revenue receipts, not including receipts from special assessments or other levies for particular purposes as in this Charter specified, shall be credited to the general fund.

(Ord. No. 140060 , § 4, 1-23-14, eff. 5-1-14)