Archive for the ‘budget’ Tag
Questions About Assistant City Manager Answers
On Tuesday, September 8th, Assistant City Manager Raul Lavin addressed several issues on The Morning Show with Preston Scott. Research by Tallahassee Reports indicates that answers given by Mr. Lavin on the deferred compensation and the electric utility reserve funds are not consistent with information contained in publicly available documents.
Deferred Compensation
On the deferred compensation, Mr. Lavin said:
“It is my understanding that this came up as part of a charter review commission discussion about commissioner salaries and benefits and after that it was brought forward to the commission in a publicly noticed meeting[...]”
No Comments Tags: Assistant City Manager, budget, city charter, city commission, electric fund, general fund, Long Term Rate Stabilization, Preston Scott, Raul Lavin, Schedule of Reserve Fund, Tallahassee, The Morning Show
COT Reserve Funds Exceeds $172 Million
With the Tallahassee City Commission taking a serious look at raising taxes and cutting services, Tallahassee Reports - and a number of other interested citizens – have begun to dig into the proposed 2010 budget.
Tallahassee Reports has focused its analysis on the City’s “Reserve Accounts.” The City has reserve accounts for the General Fund, Electric Fund, Gas Fund, Water Fund, Sewer Fund, Airport Fund, and Solid Waste Fund.
3 Comments Tags: airport fund, budget, city commission, electric fund, Gainesville Regional Utility, gas fund, general fund, rate stabilization, reserve accounts, sewer fund, solid waste fund, Tallahassee, water fund
City Spending Increases Isolated to Three Areas
In our last report, Tallahassee Reports analyzed the expenditure trend of the City of Tallahassee’s $133,000,000 general fund over the period of 2005 to 2008.
The analysis indicated that expenditures over that period exceeded population growth to the tune of approximately $23 million. When adjusted for a inflation over that period, expenditures added approximately $12 million.
This report investigated what categories received the expenditures above and beyond population and inflation growth. The analysis indicated that three areas account for this increase in expenditures.
2 Comments Tags: budget, expenditures, general fund, Star Metro, Tallahassee
The Budget Shortfall – Revenue Options
The recent revelation that the City of Tallahassee has a budget shortfall of approximately $7 million for the upcoming fiscal year has started a debate on how to best deal with this issue. Should the city commission raise taxes, cut services, or implement some combination of both?
In this article, Tallahassee Reports looks into one side of this debate by providing information about the various sources of general fund revenues. If the city decides to raise revenue to cover the short fall, the revenue will come from one of these areas.
3 Comments Tags: budget, city commission, cuts, general fund, Tallahassee, taxes, utilities
City Hoards Millions During Recession, While Leon School Board Cuts 150 Teachers
So you think the City of Tallahassee spends millions on electric utility conservation programs? Wrong! The City of Tallahassee collects millions for conservation programs.
A data request by Tallahassee Reports indicates that the City of Tallahassee budgeted close to $15.5 million to various conservation programs for fiscal year 2008, which began on October 1, 2007.
At the end of fiscal year 2008, the City of Tallahassee had expended less than $1 million on conservation programs. This left approximately $14.5 million that rolled over to fiscal year 2009.
12 Comments Tags: budget, cuts, going green, Leon County School Board, Tallahassee
City Budgeting – a Tale of Perverse Priorities
Our recent analysis of spending on “green” programs has documented the clear priority of city leadership in achieving the “living green” dream.
Green expenditures in the fiscal year 2009 budget include $10 million for smart meters, $7 million for energy conservation, and $300,000 for the creation of the green department. These 3 programs total $17,300,000 in spending in fiscal year 2009.
3 Comments Tags: budget, costs, cuts, EPER, going green, smart meters, Tallahassee
Green Era Priorities Trump Child Safety Programs
In the 2009 budget, the Tallahassee City Commission cut $50,000 from the elementary school crossing guard program and cut another $30,000 by eliminating the DARE program. However, in November of 2008 the City of Tallahassee found $89,000 to donate to the Leon County School system for the “Schools on Solar Program.”
Why?…In a letter, responding to the concerns of Jackie Pons, Leon County School Superintendent, Mayor Marks wrote:
3 Comments Tags: budget, child safety, city commission, crossing guards, cuts, going green, solar panels, Tallahassee
A City of Tallahassee Budget Summary
In an effort to provide important information to our readers, listed below is a summary of city expenditures approved in the fiscal year 2009 budget. The items listed below represent over 95% of the $841 million 2009 city budget.
