DEPARTMENT: Office of Management and Budget
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Justina Tate (OMB)
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
City Council Goal Setting Session for the FY 2018 Budget
SUMMARY:
On June 28, 2017, the City Council FY 2018 Budget Goal Setting Session will be held at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center, LDR Room from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The purpose of the Budget Goal Setting Session is to obtain City Council policy direction that will guide the City Manager and staff in developing the FY 2018 Proposed Budget and the FY 2019 Budget-Plan. The anticipated outcome of this session is to establish City Council service delivery priorities and gather input on major budget policy issues that will be utilized by staff to prepare a balanced Fiscal Year 2018 Proposed Annual Operating and Capital Budget. City Council may take action to approve certain policy and priority matters related to the Budget Goal Setting Process.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of San Antonio’s fiscal year begins on October 1, and ends September 30. Each year the City Manager transmits a budget development calendar to the City Council in February/March with key dates for each phase of the budget process. The phases include (1) Five-Year Financial Forecast and public input before the budget is prepared, (2) City Council Budget Goal Setting Session, (3) Proposed Budget for the upcoming fiscal year, (4) City Council budget worksessions, and public input meetings/public hearings on the proposed budget, and (5) adoption of the Budget for the next fiscal year. The Annual Operating and Capital Budget must be approved by the City Council before September 27 of every year in accordance with the City Charter.
On March 8, 2017, the City Council was provided with the FY 2017 First Quarter Financial Report and the FY 2018 Budget Calendar. This calendar included the key dates for the five phases of the City of San Antonio budget development process.
Five Year Financial Forecast: On May 10, 2017, City Council was provided a briefing on the FY 2017 Six Plus Six Budget and Financial Status Report as well as the City's Five Year Financial Forecast covering Fiscal Year 2018 through Fiscal Year 2022.
Community Input for the Preparation of the Budget Process: Along with monitoring the FY 2017 Budget, the City has started to prepare for the development of the FY 2018 Budget. As part of this process, City staff gathered input on the priorities of the community for the FY 2018 Budget through the SASpeakUp Campaign. Through this campaign, the City reaches out to the community through a multi-faceted campaign to collect data on residents’ use of city services and their ideas for spending in the upcoming year. Community input is gathered through the SASpeakUp bilingual (English and Spanish) street teams that attend events throughout the community to capture feedback, through digital media to include NextDoor.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email blasts, and an online survey, which is available in both English and Spanish. The survey is also available in hard copy at all City libraries, community centers and senior centers.
Residents are also invited to provide input through the City’s website and through the City’s Budget Input Box available at city departments, libraries, community centers, and online. A report with the results from these meeting will be provided at the June City Council Budget Goal Setting Session.
City Council Budget Goal Setting Session: On June 28, 2017, the City Council FY 2018 Budget Goal Setting Session will be held at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center, LDR Room from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The purpose of the Budget Goal Setting Session is to obtain City Council policy direction that will guide the City Manager and staff in developing the FY 2018 Proposed Budget and the FY 2019 Budget-Plan. The anticipated outcome of this session is to establish City Council service delivery priorities and direction on potential general fund revenue increases and/or expenditure reductions that will be utilized by staff to prepare a balanced Fiscal Year 2018 Proposed Annual Operating and Capital Budget.
Proposed Budget: On August 10, 2017 the City Manager will presents the FY 2018 Proposed Operating and Capital Budget to City Council. This budget will be prepared in the month of July and will incorporate the policy direction provided by the City Council on June 28 and the community input provided through the SASpeakUp Campaign.
City Council Budget Worksessions, public input meetings/public hearings on the proposed budget: After the budget is proposed on August 10, 2017, seven city council budget worksessions are scheduled to present the proposed budget in detail to the City Council. The City will host two public hearings at City Council Chambers and five Budget Open Houses across the City to ask residents for their input on the proposed budget before the budget is finalized.
Budget Adoption: The FY 2018 Budget is scheduled to be approved by the City Council on September 14, 2017.
ISSUE:
The purpose of the Budget Goal Setting Session is to obtain City Council policy direction that will guide the City Manager and staff in developing the FY 2018 Proposed Budget and the FY 2019 Budget-Plan. The anticipated outcome of this session is to establish City Council service delivery priorities and direction on potential general fund revenue increases and/or expenditure reductions that will be utilized by staff to prepare a balanced Fiscal Year 2018 Proposed Annual Operating and Capital Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is a scheduled event consistent with the endorsed FY 2018 Budget Development Calendar.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City Council Budget Policy Goal Setting Session will provide service delivery priorities to be utilized in the upcoming FY 2018 Budget development process and prepare a spending plan that aligns with City Council priorities.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff's recommendation is to conduct the June 28, 2017 City Council Budget Policy Goal Setting Worksession.