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
City Budget Summary (2023–2026)
| Governmental Activity |
FY 2023 |
FY 2024 |
FY 2025 |
FY 2026 |
| Education |
$187,097,818 |
$191,759,220 |
$227,982,610 |
$237,999,925 |
| General Government |
$18,742,866 |
$25,011,825 |
$25,559,290 |
$26,788,383 |
| Public Safety |
$51,633,037 |
$55,605,988 |
$57,760,666 |
$61,551,254 |
| Highway and Streets |
$21,421,714 |
$19,504,209 |
$19,968,652 |
$21,545,314 |
| Health and Welfare |
$4,078,143 |
$3,066,657 |
$3,308,180 |
$4,104,665 |
| Culture & Recreation |
$6,649,562 |
$7,161,121 |
$7,618,111 |
$7,764,641 |
| Economic Development |
$10,000 |
$175,907 |
$223,888 |
$304,420 |
| Health, Dental & Life Insurance * |
$13,299,242 |
$15,276,990 |
$17,195,489 |
$17,595,489 |
| Retirement |
$25,134,031 |
$25,555,116 |
$27,291,207 |
$29,706,516 |
| Other |
$12,799,403 |
$11,238,353 |
$10,734,674 |
$11,050,579 |
| Debt Service |
$16,100,000 |
$16,100,000 |
$16,100,000 |
$16,100,000 |
| Total Budget |
$356,965,816 |
$370,455,386 |
$413,742,767 |
$434,511,186 |
| Less MSD Budget |
($187,097,818) |
($191,759,220) |
($227,982,610) |
($237,999,925) |
| General Fund Budget |
$169,867,998 |
$178,696,166 |
$185,760,157 |
$196,511,261 |
* Benefit expenses are excluded from department 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.
Prior Fiscal Year budget books not listed below are available upon requst.