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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1982-11-02 Committee of the Whole MinutesNovember 2, 1982 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT OFFICIALS PRESENT PRESENTATION State Auditor Revenues Expenditures TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Budget Review M I N U T E S GEORGE D. HILL, LIONEL C. BOHRER, Council President, JOE H. DUFFIE, EDGAR D. BAUCH, WENDY A. MORGAN. Mr. Whistler said that there are four things he likes to keep in mind during the budget process. (1) Identify fundamental objectives of the City (where do we want to go). (2) Think about the next five year implications of today's actions. (3) Think about "all" costs that are involved in adding or deleting programs and how this will effect other programs or activities. (4) Analyze the various alternatives you have to get you where you want to go. As a Council, you have to look at the City as a whole. Decide what you want to accomplish, where you want to go and how you want to get there. Don't think in terms of rakes and shovels; think of the activity as a whole. Let the Department Head de- cide how he is going to accomplish it. Throughout the year, see if the objectives were reached, how much it cost, and what was the affect. 3 777 Tukwila City Hall Council Chambers GARY VAN DUSEN, Mayor; MAXINE ANDERSON, City Clerk; BRAD COLLINS, Planning Director; ALAN DOERSCHEL, Finance Director; PATRICK LOWERY, Police Chief; BYRON SNEVA, Public Works Director; JIM HOEL, Fire Marshal; TED FREEMIRE, Public Works Superintendent. Max Whistler, State Auditor's Office, was invited to the meeting to discuss Council and Administration roles in the budget process. Mr. Whistler said the budget process should decide where you want to go and what you have to do to get there. By thinking about "What do we want for the City of Tukwila," you can make a posi- tive approach to the budget process. The participants in the budget process are the Mayor, Council, Department Heads, staff and the citizens. The Mayor is like the President of a company; the Council is the Board of Directors; Department Heads are like Plant Managers; the workers are handworks just like those in a private company; and the taxpayers are the stockholders. Council's function is to determine City policy and the Mayor is expected to develop and execute the plan to carry out the policy. If everyone accepts his own responsibility, the City will function well. Don't make decisions when you don't understand what is before you. Council needs to do their homework. Know what the citi- zens really want by communicating with all sectors and know what the problems are that are facing the Departments. This is not for just now; it is all year long. The budget is a continuous process and should be done with a multi -year approach. Council President Bohrer asked "What is policy Mr. Whistler said policy would differ between cities. In general it is what you want to accomplish and, generally, how you want to accomplish it. It is not the plan itself; you have to give your employees the responsibility to follow out your directives. Alan Doerschel, Finance Director, reviewed the proposed revenues and expenditures. The property tax estimate has been increased 10% over the 1982 estimate. The sales tax has been increased by $200,000; this is assuming that the City will collect the same amount of money in 1983 as in 1982. So far, the 1982 sales tax is running short, and we may have to take another look at this figure. The rest of the revenue estimates are fairly accurate. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL, COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, BUDGET REVIEW November 2, 1982 Page 2 DISCUSSION Cont. Revenues Expenditures (cont.) 3778 To balance the total budget, including the two bridge projects, there are $625,000 in G.O. Bonds shown. The water and sewer funds are shown as the actual 1982 figures; there are no rate increases built in. There are no allocations allowed for the Fire Equipment Reserve Fund, Accumulative Reserve Fund, Con- tingency Fund, Unemployment Fund or the L. I. Guarantee Fund. The total budget proposed for 1983 is $15,641,000. Mr. Doerschel said the two big issues facing Council are: (1) The sales tax and (2) The G.O. Bonds proposed in the budget. Council President Bohrer rephrased the two issues: (1) What is the 1983 estimated sales tax based on the current on -half cent? and (2) How does the City get adequate revenue to balance the budget? Mr. Doerschel pointed out that 76% of the Current Fund is Salaries and Benefits. This is the same as the 1982 budget. There is $185,000 budgeted in Miscellaneous Salaries to give upgrades, salary and benefit increases, and fund any new posi- tions. Five percent of the Current Fund is for supplies. Council President Bohrer addressed the City employees present and asked them to pass it on to those not present. The Country is suffering, and a lot of people are doing without salary in- creases. City employees should not expect the normal salary increase. Mr. Doerschel reviewed the proposed budget expenditures. There are very few new programs proposed and the service is budgeted at the same level as 1982. The Arterial Street Fund contains the two bridge projects. The 56th Avenue bridge expenditure is estimated at $501,000. $437,000 will be reimbursed from the State. The 1983 portion of the Grady Way Bridge project is estimated at $4,000,000. $3.6 million is reimbursable. The City is responsible for 10% of the project. We are going to pay $463,000 out of City revenue for these projects. Council President Bohrer said the major issue before Council is fairly clear. The budget is balanced with Councilmanic Bonds funding $625,000 in projects. Each year we balance the City budget in favor of keeping all the employees and postponing the projects. There are two ways to balance this budget. (1) In- crease revenue; (2) Decrease expenditures; or (3) A combination of the two. Council President Bohrer said they will look at the proposed 20% cuts in each Department and see how they will be approached; also, what the impact on services will be. Councilman Morgan suggested Council look at the budget for multiple solutions and not just one single resource. She also said that under no circumstances should any new revenues, generated by raising taxes, be used for maintenance and operation of the City. Council President Bohrer said he would like to see an expiration date placed on any new tax revenues and have Council reconsider them again at that time and see if they are really warranted. Council will review the departmental objectives. He said he thinks Council should seriously look at decreasing the manning in the City by possibly 10 Councilman Hill said the level of services are at a point now where they are acceptable. If we could reduce personnel, but not reduce services, it might be all right. He said he is for raising revenue, not cutting personnel by 10 TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL, COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, BUDGET REVIEW November 2, 1982 Page 3 DISCUSSION Cont. Revenues Expenditures (cont.) ADJOURNMENT 10:00 P.M. Councilman Bauch said he supports Councilman Bohrer's suggestion. Councilman Morgan said she will look at the possibility. She would like to see how the alternative they choose will impact the citizens. Councilman Duffie said he would like to see the proposals before he votes. MOVED BY HILL, SECONDED BY DUFFIE, THAT THE BUDGET REVIEW MEETING ADJOURN. MOTION CARRIED. e, &A, CoUT President Cit Clerk