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Budget Information

Budget and Appropriation Process

The Charter provides for the Mayor, and such other officials as the Mayor shall select, to prepare a budget for consideration by the Board of Aldermen. The Mayor’s proposed budget must include certain historic and projected expense and revenue information and statements of anticipated tax levy and debt service requirements. The Mayor’s proposed budget is referred to a public hearing. After the public hearing the Board of Mayor and Aldermen may adopt the proposed budget with or without amendment. If amendments are made, a second public hearing may be held prior to final adoption. The Mayor may veto the entire budget or line items thereof. In the event of a veto all portions of the budget not vetoed shall be passed. If the BMA fails to adopt appropriation resolutions for the ensuing fiscal year by June 30th, the Mayor’s budget as originally proposed shall prevail.

The Charter also provides for supplemental appropriations, reductions of appropriations and transfers of appropriations under certain limited circumstances

Four Year Budget Trend

  2019     2020     2021     2022
Education $169,431,905     $176,036,978     $183,052,004     $173,111,686
General Government 16,543,810     17,622,886     17,815,970     18,051,867
Public Safety 44,992,274     46,257,867     48,954,180     50,472,176
Highway and Streets 19,359,716     20,328,488     19,521,383     20,578,269
Health and Welfare 3,880,859     3,928,432     4,121,583     4,043,047
Culture & Recreation 6,283,985     6,519,400     6,087,161     6,448,492
Economic Development 139,151     151,768            
Non-Departmental Benefits (1) 43,771,537     44,620,735     46,065,444     46,852,003
Debt Service 17,212,645     17,212,645     17,212,645     16,100,000
Total Budget $321,615,882     $332,679,199     $342,830,370     $335,657,540

(1) All benefit costs are excluded from departmental budgets.

Budget Books

The Finance Department publishes an Annual "Budget Book" upon Budget approval by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The "Budget Book" contains an overall summary of the budget, an expense and revenue summary by agency (department) and detailed budget by agency (department) and organization (division). The following Budget Books are available for review and download. Adobe Reader is required to access this file.