Title
Staff Report for an Update on the Implementation of Budget Task Force Recommendations
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION
This report provides an update regarding the Budget Task Force recommendation implementation status. Staff recommends that the Committee review the report and provide feedback.
BACKGROUND
On July 21, 2020, the City Council created the Community Advisory Budget Task Force (Task Force), to seek the input from residents and stakeholders and make recommendations to the City Council on community priorities and strategies to maintain a high quality of service delivery while taking tangible steps to reduce ongoing budget deficits. The City Council further directed the Task Force to focus on changes necessary to rebalance the City budget considering budget deficits, the COVID-19 pandemic, the accompanying shelter-in-place orders, and the reallocation of $1.7 million from the Police Department budget.
The following summarizes the mission for the Task Force:
* Develop an understanding of the City's budget and fiscal issues;
* Provide input on community priorities and develop recommendations on fiscal strategies and program delivery that ensure a balanced budget and reflects those priorities;
* Make recommendations to enhance public understanding of the City budget and community input into the budget development process;
* Make recommendations for the most efficient and effective reallocation of funding that was recently deducted from the Police Department budget; and
* Make recommendations to help achieve a long-term, sustainable budget through reducing expenditures and/or increasing revenues.
The Community Advisory Budget Task Force met between October 2020 and March 2021. Their schedule also included a Town Hall meeting which was held in early March 2021. The Task Force covered a wide range of topics during that time, becoming familiar with all aspects of the City's budget, in particular the General Fund. As part of their work,...
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