* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Harris
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Investigative Hearing - Baltimore City Government - Budget Overspending
FOR the purpose of requesting the Directors, Executive Directors, or Commissioners of major city agencies to report to the City Council on budgetary practices that lead to "non-anticipated" expenses that result in the need for the Council to pass supplementary appropriation legislation to balance agency budgets at the end of nearly every fiscal year.
Body
Recitals
Each fiscal year closeout is greeted by a bumper crop of supplemental appropriation legislation that asserts that "this appropriation is made necessary by a material change in circumstances since the Ordinance of Estimates for Fiscal Year was formulated or is for a new program that could not have been reasonably anticipated when that Ordinance of Estimates was formulated."
The budget making process incorporates steps that provide ample opportunity for department heads to "reasonably anticipate" most changes starting with the Budget Request phase that beings before the fiscal year, the period July1 through June 30, is ended. Agency heads are provided with budget instructions and guidance for developing agency requests, including a proposed funding level and general directions regarding the inclusion of new programs or the elimination of existing programs for the ensuing year.
Following the submission of Budget Requests there is a Review of...
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