DEPARTMENT: Office of Management and Budget
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Justina Tate
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
City Council Goal Setting Session for the FY 2019 Budget
SUMMARY:
On May 30, 2018, the City Council FY 2019 Budget Goal Setting Session will be held at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center, Cantilever 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 2019 Proposed Budget and the FY 2020 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 2019 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 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 not later than September 27 of every year in accordance with the City Charter.
On March 1, 2018, the City Council was provided with the FY 2018 First Quarter Financial Report and the FY 2019 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 April 19, 2018, City Council was provided a briefing on the FY 2018 Six Plus Six Budget and Financial Status Report as well as the City's Five Year Financial Forecast covering Fiscal Year 2019 through Fiscal Year 2023.
Community Input for the Preparation of the Budget Process: Along with monitoring the FY 2018 Budget, the City has started to prepare for the development of the FY 2019 Budget. As part of this process, City staff gathered input on the priorities of the community for the FY 2019 Budget through the SASpeakUp Campaign. Through this campaign, the City reaches out to the community using a multi-faceted strategy to collect data on residents’ use of city services and their ideas for spending in the upcoming year. Community input is gathered through bilingual (English and Spanish) SASpeakUp street teams by attending 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. Hard copies of the survey are also available at all City libraries, community centers and senior centers and were distributed to stakeholder groups and council offices.
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 May 30th City Council Budget Goal Setting Session.
City Council Budget Goal Setting Session: On May 30, 2018, the City Council FY 2019 Budget Goal Setting Session will be held at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center, Cantilever 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 2019 Proposed Budget and the FY 2020 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 2019 Proposed Annual Operating and Capital Budget.
Proposed Budget: On August 9, 2018 the City Manager will present the FY 2019 Proposed Operating and Capital Budget to City Council. This budget will be prepared from June to July and will incorporate the policy direction provided by the City Council on May 30 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 9, 2018, several City Council budget worksessions are scheduled where various departments will present their proposed budgets in greater detail to the City Council. The City will host two public hearings at City Council Chambers and several 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 2019 Budget is scheduled to be approved by the City Council on September 13, 2018.
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 2019 Proposed Budget and the FY 2020 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 2019 Proposed Annual Operating and Capital Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is a scheduled event consistent with the endorsed FY 2019 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 2019 Budget development process and prepare a spending plan that aligns with City Council priorities.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff's recommendation is to conduct the May 30, 2018 City Council Budget Policy Goal Setting Worksession.