§ 603. Submission and contents of the County budget.

Not later than seventy days prior to the end of the fiscal year, the Executive shall submit to the Council the proposed current expense budget for the ensuing fiscal year, the operating expense program for the fiscal year covered by the current expense budget and the next succeeding five fiscal years, and that part of the budget message pertaining to the current expense budget. And not later than ninety days prior to the end of the fiscal year, the Executive shall submit to the Council the proposed capital budget, the capital program for the fiscal year covered by the capital budget and the next succeeding five fiscal years, and that part of the budget message pertaining to the capital budget program.

(a)

Contents of the current expense budget. The proposed current expense budget shall contain not less than the following:

(1)

A statement of all revenue estimated to be received by the County during the ensuing fiscal year, classified so as to show the receipts by funds and sources of income;

(2)

A statement of debt service requirements for the ensuing fiscal year;

(3)

A statement of the estimated cash surplus, if any, available for expenditure during the ensuing fiscal year, and any estimated deficit in any fund required to be made up in the ensuing fiscal year;

(4)

An estimate of the several amounts, including any arbitrator's award made pursuant to section 217, which the executive deems necessary for conducting the business of the County to be financed from and not to exceed estimated revenue for the ensuing fiscal year;

(5)

A statement of the bonded and other indebtedness of the County government and its agencies, including self-liquidating and special taxing district debt;

(6)

A statement of the proposed contingency reserves which shall not exceed three per centum of the general fund and of any other fund;

(7)

A comparative statement of the receipts and expenditures for the last completed fiscal year, a comparative statement of authorized expenditures and revenues and estimated expenditures and revenues for the currently ending fiscal year, and the expenditures recommended by the Executive for the ensuing fiscal year for each program or project which shall be classified by agency, character and object;

(8)

A contingency reserve, which shall not exceed three per centum of the general fund; and

(9)

Any other material which the Executive may deem advisable or the Council may require.

(b)

Contents of the capital budget and capital program. The proposed capital budget and capital program shall be so arranged as to set forth clearly the plan of proposed capital projects to be undertaken in the ensuing fiscal year and in each of the next five fiscal years, and also the proposed means of financing the same. The capital budget shall include a statement of the revenues anticipated during the ensuing fiscal year from all borrowing and from other sources for capital projects. The capital budget shall include a description of each proposed capital project to be undertaken in the ensuing fiscal year, including those previously authorized. The capital budget shall include a general County contingency reserve capital project.

(c)

Contents of the budget message. The budget message shall contain supporting summary tables and shall explain the proposed current expense budget and capital program both in fiscal terms and in terms of work to be done. It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the County for the ensuing fiscal year and describe the important features of the current expense budget. It shall indicate any major changes in fiscal policies and in expenditures, appropriations and revenues as compared with the fiscal year currently ending, and shall set forth the reasons for such changes. As to the capital program, the message shall include an explanation of changes made by the Executive in the program presented by the Office of Planning and Zoning. The message shall also include such other material as the Executive may deem necessary.

Editor's note

At an election held on Nov. 7, 2006, the voters approved an amendment to subsection (a)(4) of section 603. An amendment to subsections (a) and (b) of section 603 proposed by Res. No. 101, 2016 was approved at an election held on Nov. 8, 2016, and became effective on Dec. 8, 2016.