The 2015 Budget As the budget process progresses for the City Budget of 2015 we (The City Council) are being advised that next year the budget will be exceptionally tight. This is due to the many unexpected expenses we faced in 2014. Please understand, we are in good shape financially as a city because your City Council has been diligent in approving expense items and containing costs. What we are talking about here is what is often called The General Fund its where tax dollars go that are currently unassigned and where they remain until needed for this or that. While we had managed to build this fund up some over the past several years 2014 has been challenging. I bring this up because I am hearing of a suggestion that 1/3 of all sales tax dollars received from HyVee be set aside only for use on street projects. Folks, I am the very first person who will raise my hand and tell you that our streets are terrible. I will also be the first to tell you a plan such as that just mentioned does not strike me as the most prudent way to handle our tax dollars. I even have a few concerns about if such a plan could even be implemented as tax dollars are highly regulated by law and as such must be used in certain ways for certain things. Additionally, I would be concerned that if we should set aside tax dollars for a stated purpose that those dollars would become locked in for that purpose. If we do that and, lets say we loose a snowplow during a large snowstorm and need to purchase a new one where will the funds come from? The general fund? Not if those funds have been earmarked for something else. I believe the prudent route to take would be to allow the general fund to replenish itself - then is we have a surplus we can see about street projects but if - if we have an urgent need - we can use the funds to resolve the need because they are not dedicated funds. What do you think? Please let me know. Thank you & Go Forward! With Patrick Dugan for Mayor!
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 15:21:57 +0000
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