Charlottesville City Council members heard the first of two readings regarding year-end appropriations for the 2008 fiscal year yesterday, as local leaders prepare to begin 2009 budget talks. The city’s finance director customarily requests that Council grant appropriations at the end of each calendar year to re-appropriate or carry leftover funds from various departments’ budgets for potential use in the coming fiscal year.
Currently, Charlottesville has a $2.1 million excess in its General Fund, City Financial Director Bernard Wray said. He noted this excess resulted from the revenues of several sources exceeding forecasted levels, city departments adhering to their outlined budgets, savings from the hiring freeze within the city and funds originally budgeted for Emergency Medical System Operations that were not implemented. Wray recommended to Council that $1,244,015 of this excess be used to fund programs and proposals during the 2009 fiscal year — already predicted to be tight budget-wise given current financial forecasts — and that the remaining $907,372 be saved for future economic downturns.
Wray said having “critical reserves to protect us from adverse economic conditions” will be vital to Charlottesville’s future. He noted that this money would not be “spent unless the economy continues to decline.”
Regarding possible programs and proposals that may see funding next year if Council decides to use its surplus, Wray proposed that the $1,244,015 be used to fund continuing appropriations, which means unused funding from 2008 will carry over into the 2009 budget and be used for the purpose for which it was originally appropriated. Additionally under Wray’s proposal, any remaining 2008 surplus that goes unused will be transferred from the General Fund to other areas in the budget. Included in the continuing appropriations initiatives and programs that could be funded next year through carried-over money is Council Reserve, which is used to fund projects to which Council wants to commit to but which are not part of the original budget. Wray also recommended using some of the leftover money to pay for expenses for the Charlottesville Housing Affordability Program, the Office of Economic Development and a utility reserve to help offset rising fuel costs.
City Mayor Dave Norris and Council member Holly Edwards, however, expressed concern that although these proposed appropriations have merit, they do no yet know if each appropriation addresses Council’s current priorities. Norris and Edwards said each hypothetical funding measure will have to be reviewed individually before approval can be given.
“I’m not proposing taking all the proposed money and spending it all, but I want a more in-depth conversation about how this money can be used to further Council’s priorities,” Norris said.
Council will have a second reading regarding the year-end appropriations at its next meeting Dec. 15, and further 2009 budget meetings will take place early next year.
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