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- Budget: city in for "tough times"
- SUNNYSIDE (Monday 9-28-98)--Projected city tax revenues are expected to "flatten out" for 1999, Hugo R. "Bud" Schatz, the city's finance director, said at tonight's city council workshop meeting.
That means city fathers may have to stay close to this year's budget limits as they hammer out next year's budget. Schatz referred to a memo he wrote in November of '97. He said his last year's revenue projections for the present were pretty much on target.
"We're in for tough times," Schatz told the Council and audience.
- This year's budget tallies at about $21.4-million. Staff is looking at needs for 1999, and will be doing so the rest of this month, October, and November. The final 1999 budget is set for approval by the Council Dec. 14.
The Council this evening approved a series of public hearings on the budget. They offer a chance for Sunnysiders to comment on where their tax dollars are going.
So far, it appears budget talks have gone or will go like this:
- Sept. 1: City manager Don Hahnfeldt asks Council members to submit their requests for new programs, projects, personnel, equipment, etc., for the annual budget (this was completed in July of this year).
- Sept. 3: Finance Director Schatz submits written requests for spending estimates and estimated tax revenues from all department heads.
- Oct. 12: Department heads submit copies of their requested spending estimates for annual budget to the city manager and finance director.
- Oct. 15-26: City manager reviews budget requests and tax revenue estimates with department heads.
- Oct. 28: City Manager Hahnfeldt submits preliminary budget figures and information to Finance Director Schatz for typing copying and assembling.
- Nov. 2-9: City manager Hahnfeldt submits preliminary budget to Council.
- Nov. 2-9: City manager publishes notice of public hearing for filing of the preliminary budget and setting forth discussion and adoption of the ordinance setting forth the property tax levy for 1999.
- Nov. 7: City manager publishes public hearing notice on proposed final budget
- Nov. 17-Dec. 8: Council holds study sessions on preliminary budget.
- Nov. 14: Council holds study session on preliminary budget.
- Dec. 14: City Council holds public hearing on proposed final budget and adopts it for the 1999 budget year.
- Study sessions, to which the public is invited, will be used to review sections of the budget on various dates:
- Nov. 17: Chamber of Commerce (tourism), finance, plus legislative, judicial, executive personnel, planning, library, and legal areas of spending
- Nov. 24: The police dept. and central services
- Dec. 8: Parks and recreation. dept., public works, and fire dept.
- Dec. 14: Adopt the '99 budget
- The Yakima Valley News, which has set the city's municipal codes online, is preparing to publish the '99 budget online as well.