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Annual City Budgets & Audits

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Annual City Budgets

The Mayor is responsible for developing the General Fund budget of the City. During the months of January and February, the Mayor estimates both the amount of money necessary to be appropriated for the expenses of the City and the rate of taxation for the fiscal year which begins on the following July 1. The Mayor, in proposing the rate of taxation, is required to estimate the receipts from taxes for the next fiscal year at not more than one percent less than the actual rate of collection for the preceding fiscal year. The Mayor submits the recommended budget and tax rate to the Board of Alders by March 1.

The Board of Alders is required to hold two public hearings on the proposed budget, one in March following receipt and publication of the Mayor’s proposal, and the second prior to final action on the budget proposal in May.

The Board of Alders may increase or decrease individual appropriations and revenue estimates. The Board may increase the total budget, and it may increase the tax rate above the levels proposed by the Mayor, by a two thirds vote of the entire Board. However, the Board of Alders may not reduce any amount proposed by the Mayor for the payment of principal of or interest on the municipal debt. The budget as adopted must be balanced.

The Mayor, within ten days subsequent to the adoption of the budget by the Board of Alders, either may approve the budget as adopted or veto specific line items. If the Mayor does not act upon the budget within the ten-day period, it becomes operative and effective without his or her signature. Any veto by the Mayor may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the entire Board of Alders.

Past City Budgets

Annual City Audits

The Board of Alders is required under State law to annually appoint an independent certified public accounting firm to audit the financial transactions of City funds. The City is also required to perform annual State and Federal grant(s) reporting such as Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), emergency solutions Grant (ESG), Federal Ryan White, and other various federal/state grants.