Budget Question #001: What is the proposed schedule and add/delete process for FY 2023 budget deliberations? (Morgan Routt)

City of Alexandria, Virginia

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MEMORANDUM

DATE:             FEBRUARY 15, 2022

TO:                  THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

FROM:            MORGAN ROUTT, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

SUBJECT:      BUDGET MEMO #01:  PROPOSED SCHEDULE AND ADD/DELETE PROCESS FOR FY 2023 BUDGET DELIBERATIONS

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This memo outlines the proposed schedule for FY 2023 budget deliberations and the add/delete process. This memo includes:

1. The due date for budget questions to receive responses in time for add/delete (Friday, March 25).
2. An overview of the add/delete process and timeline, including the deadline for add/delete proposals (Thursday, April 14). Staff requests notification of potential add/items requiring an ordinance no later than Monday, March 28 to docket for public hearing on Saturday, April 23 and final passage at budget adoption. City Council established the add/delete process rules of engagement in Resolution No. 3046 adopted on January 11, 2022.
3. A timeline with specific dates for public hearings, publication of public notices, work sessions and budget-related legislative or special meetings.

Staff Responses to Council Questions on the Proposed Budget and Capital Improvement Program

All questions from members of Council should be sent to OMB Director Morgan Routt by e-mail or asked at Council meetings or work sessions. Staff’s practice is to respond to all questions as soon as feasible. The City Manager may also discuss questions with individual members as needed. The sooner a question is asked, the more likely it is to receive a full and complete answer in time to influence the add/delete process. Depending on the complexity of the question, information requested after Friday, March 25 may be too late for Council members to receive a complete response by Thursday, April 14, the due date for the City Council budget add/delete proposal forms.

City Council members will be asked to identify which questions relate to potential add/delete adjustments. OMB will use this information to prioritize those responses for quicker turnaround times. Non-add/delete-related budget questions will be prioritized next, followed by non-budget-related questions about City policies and services. Non-add/delete-related questions requiring significant staff research or analysis may be extended beyond the budget process with the requesting Council member’s permission to focus on add/delete-related and budget-related responses.

Add/Delete Process: The City Council shall follow the process outlined below. This process is compliant with the add/delete process as outlined in City Council adopted Resolution 3046.

1. Continue use of the add/delete spreadsheet that was produced by OMB prior to the FY 2016 budget process and reintroduced in the FY 2017 budget process.
2. A City Council budget proposal form will be required in order to add or delete anything from the City Manager’s Proposed Budget. The form will require the following prior to Council consideration:
   • Additional information related to how the change advances the Council’s goals/priorities.
   • Additional information related to how this change impacts the performance of that program, service or goal. 
   • The support of at least 3 of 7 Council members (the original sponsor and two-co sponsors).
   • It must be accompanied by an add/delete spreadsheet prepared by the Council member or OMB in which the sum of the individual Council member’s adds and deletes, including items originally sponsored by that member, are in balance or produce a revenue surplus.
   • Notice of any potential add/delete proposal requiring a change to a City Ordinance or requiring a new ordinance must be submitted to staff eight days prior to the first legislative meeting in April in order for the item to be introduced and docketed for the April public hearing [for FY 2023, March 28]
3. The completed City Council budget proposal form must be returned to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB), with each of the steps from #2 above completed, at least 20 days prior to the adoption of the budget [for FY 2023, April 14].
4. City Council will hold a second budget public hearing to receive feedback on the preliminary add/delete items submitted by City Council Members [for FY 2023, April 23].
5. A combined list of all City Council budget proposals that meet the criteria in #2, any technical adjustments from OMB, and any City Manager recommended changes, will be provided and discussed at a City Council meeting in April [for FY 2023, April 26].
6. Council will work with OMB to refine/develop funding figures based on the proposals submitted, to be completed 7 days prior to budget adoption [for FY 2023, April 27].
7. Completed Council budget proposals, with funding, will be circulated to Council and the public the Friday prior to budget adoption [for FY 2023, April 29].
8. City Council will be required to keep the budget in balance once all decisions are made.
9. Budget Adoption will occur on May 4, 2022 with all City Council Budget Proposals, those approved and those not approved, made public upon adoption of the budget.

The City Council budget proposal form is attached to this memo. Please fill out the form electronically (preferred for ease in distributing) or by hand and submit the completed forms to OMB by Thursday, April 14, 2022.

Proposed Schedule

Below is the timeline recommended by staff for the FY 2023 budget approval process, based on the budget calendar adopted by City Council. The timeline includes the actions required by statute to be taken by certain dates for adopting the real estate and personal property tax ordinances.

Other considerations that shaped this schedule include:

• The budget public hearing is to be held Monday, March 7, 2022 at 5:30 pm. This schedule allows Council to have public input from the hearing available to it before it establishes a maximum real estate tax rate on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.  Continuing in FY 2023: the public hearing start time is scheduled for 5:30 pm.
• City Council should decide the maximum possible real estate tax rate to advertise 30 days before a public hearing on that rate is held. Such a public hearing is scheduled for Saturday, April 23, 2022. Therefore, Council must make this maximum real estate tax rate determination during a regularly scheduled legislative meeting on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. The same schedule applies to the personal property tax rate.

FY 2023 BUDGET WORK SESSION AND HEARING SCHEDULE ACTION DATES

All Meeting Locations are Virtual or To Be Determined Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Check the FY 2023 Budget Calendar online at https://www.alexandriava.gov/Budget for the latest information.

ATTACHMENTS:

• Attachment 1 – City Council Budget Proposal Form
• Printable Version