'10 City Budget: Slow moving......but only a $30 mill shortfall!

[fsu813]

Jacksonville’s leaders are coming to the realization that starting the budget process earlier is easier said than done.

When the current budget was approved in late September, City Council leaders said they wanted to immediately start drafting the next one. The goal: Give elected officials and the public more time to offer input and set priorities.

That’s important, since 2010-11 is expected to be another lean year for local government, thanks to declining property tax revenues.

But a month later, the discussion hasn’t started.

Council President Richard Clark said he’s had weekly discussions with the mayor’s office about the budget process but nothing has been solidified.

Some of the slowdown was unavoidable. After months of budget deliberations, a large number of the auditors, attorneys and staff members took time off in October. But both Clark and council Vice President Jack Webb, who is expected to take over leadership of the council in July, said they are hoping to start discussing next year’s spending plan soon.

Clark said part of the issue is waiting for the final numbers from 2008-09. Those books should be closed out sometime this month, he said, and will outline whether any readjustments will be required that could further affect the current budget outlook.

There was a roughly $100 million shortfall this fiscal year that had to be bridged, and city leaders expect a funding gap of at least $30 million next year. Council members want to avoid another property tax rate increase like the one approved this year despite vocal opposition by many segments of the population.

Story continues at.....

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-11-02/story/work_on_jacksonville_budget_still_on_hold

[mtraininjax]

You know what they say about ASSUME.....

How can you have an under-funded pension this year of about 80 million and only show a total shortfall of 30 million next year. Did the knuckleheads at City Hall miraculously solve the Pension shortfall overnight without any fanfare?

Someone is broadcasting 30 million from their rear-end. They won't know until they get all the information, which it sounds like will be this month, but government moves slowly, my bet is they don't have it all until next year.