KING CITY — King City Council approved the city’s first-ever biennial budget for fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19 at its regular meeting last week.
According to City Manager Steve Adams, the two primary advantages of a biennial budget are that it promotes better planning by projecting revenues and expenses over a two-year period rather than one year and that it is more cost efficient. He said the budget preparation process is “very labor intensive.”
“We will still review our projections and make adjustments after the first year, but it will eliminate the staff time involved the second year to create the entire budget document,” Adams said.
This was the first year the city proposed a two-year budget, which is part of the new budget process approved last year. As the first step in the process, the council created a list of budget goals that include paying down the city’s debt; implementing the “Plan to End Youth Violence”; expanding economic development efforts with particular focus on fulfilling the Downtown Streetscape Conceptual Plan; increasing maintenance and upgrade of the city’s street, sidewalk and wastewater infrastructure; and improving customer service.
The total approved budget for fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19 is $10,653,667 and $11,404,766, respectively.
Though the city has not yet reached its desired financial position, Adams said the budget represents “significant progress” and provides an “appropriate balance between the importance of fiscal responsibility and addressing critical needs.”
Some of the budget highlights include: funding to reduce the General Fund debt by an estimated $1 million as well as to cover the city’s share of costs to add an on-campus probation officer and an after-school expanded learning program; hiring a new gang detail officer; and creating a new administrative assistant position at the fire department.
The budget also contains a five-year capital improvement program, which consists of a new city entrance sign on Broadway Street and San Antonio Drive; a citywide police security camera system; the first phase of the Downtown Streetscape Project; increased street improvements; and design plans for the Downtown Plaza Project, Broadway Street/San Antonio Drive roundabout and wastewater treatment plant upgrade.
Adams said a 10-Year Long-Range Financial Plan is included as well. The plan proposes to eliminate the General Fund’s negative fund balance by fiscal year 2021-22 and establish a 20 percent reserve fund by the end of the 10-year period.
Copies of the budget are available at City Hall, 212 S. Vanderhurst Ave., and on the city’s website kingcity.com.
