FY 13 REVISED MUNICIPAL BUDGET 1

Exactly What is a Budget?

A budget is a financial operating plan A budget is a tool for communicating with the public about how their money is spent. Citizens vote on the total budget amount not the individual line items

How the Budget is Prepared The budget process begins in August each year for the following year beginning July 1 The Select Board gives management budget parameters Departments review their current spending and needs for the next year Each department submits a preliminary budget by mid September

How the Budget is Prepared The Town manager and CFO review the budget submissions & make recommendations for changes The CFO prepares the budget for salaries and benefits and for expenses which affect multiple departments The total budget is compiled, then reviewed by the Town Manager

How the Budget is Prepared The preliminary budget is presented to the Select Board for discussion Department Heads make presentations to the Select Board explaining their budgets The Town Manager and CFO continue discussions with the Select Board to arrive at an acceptable budget

How the Budget is Prepared The final budget is presented at a public hearing Management & the Select Board further inform the citizens of the details of the budget through flyers, the website, public access TV, the newspapers and meetings The Monday evening before the first Tuesday in March, a Town Meeting is held to discuss the budget with citizens

How the Budget is Prepared The official vote on the total dollar amount of the budget is the first Tuesday in March

Important Stuff to Know Expenses must equal revenues, unless the Fund Balance is used All unexpended funds in the General Fund lapse to the Fund Balance on June 30 The Fund Balance could be considered a Rainy Day Fund

Revenues Projecting revenues is: Part science Part art Part philosophy Part luck

Revenues Some revenue sources exceed projections Other revenues do not meet expectations Types of revenue Property taxes Fees Other Intergovernmental

Revenues Things that sway revenues The economy The weather Changes in property assessments Changes in laws

Expenditures Usually easier to predict than revenues Largest area of expenditures is salaries and benefits, particularly health insurance

Things that can Change Expenditures Natural disasters Unique opportunities Legal judgments Federal or state mandates

GRAND LIST (GL) GROWTH AND THE TAX RATE How a reappraisal effects municipal taxes.

BUDGET / GRAND LIST (GL) = TAX RATE As the GL increases and if the budget stays the same the tax rate will decreases in relation to the GL increase. If the budget increases and the GL does not grow than the tax rate will increase. Typically both the GL grows and the budget also increases.

EXAMPLES OF THE FORMULA BudgetGrand ListTax Rate $10,000,000$19,000,000$ $10,000,000$19,190,000$ $10,100,000$19,000,000$ $10,100,000$19,190,000$0.5263

EFFECT OF REAPPRAISAL ON FORMULA Before Reappraisal After Reappraisal Assessed Value$14,000,000$20,000,000 Budget $10,000,000 Tax Rate$0.7143$0.5000

EFFECT OF REAPPRAISAL ON PROPERTY TAXES Before Reappraisal After Reappraisal Assessed Value$140,000$200,000 Grand List Value$1,400$2,000 Tax Rate$0.7143$ Tax$1,000

RESULTS OF 2011 REAPPRAISAL Typical reappraisal; 1/3 increases in tax payments, 1/3 decreases in tax payments, and 1/3 pays roughly the same amount in taxes 35% of all tax payers had a less than 5% +/- change in property taxes 57% of all tax payers had a decrease in their property tax payments 43% of all tax payers had an increase in their tax payments

SUMMARY GL growth = lower tax rates Typically budgets and GL will both grow. Ideally the GL will grow at a higher rate than the increasing cost of running the town. Reappraisal is revenue neutral.

FY 13 BUDGET REVISIONS 22

Budget Revote Required On March 6, 2012, the Colchester municipal budget was defeated by 394 votes 56% of the people who voted said no Only about 27% of registered voters voted 23

Where to Cut? How Much to Cut? The Select Board and the Town Manager have spoken with many citizens to get input on where to cut the budget We have read Front Porch Forum, The Sun & Burlington Free Press & others 24

Change in Tax Rate over Time 25 Yearly Municipal Tax Rate

Financial Challenges Remain Keep municipal taxes within affordable limits Protect key existing public services 26

Financial Challenges Preserve reserves to remain financially healthy – fiscally sound 27

FY 13 - Then Previous Request General Fund Budget$11,275,590 % Increase in Budget 4.2% Fund Balance Reduction $ 135,000 Tax Rate$ % Increase in Tax Rate 5.7% The tax rate increased at a higher rate than the budget because we reduced the Reduction in Fund Balance from $446,916 in FY 12 to $135,000 in FY 13. This had the effect of increasing taxes. 28

FY 13 - Now Revised Request General Fund Budget$11,085,390 % Increase in Budget2.4% Fund Balance Reduction$ 236,500 Management is proposing a transfer of $101,500 from the Police building fund to the General Fund, so Fund Balance will only be impacted by the original $135,000 proposed Tax Rate$ % Increase in Tax Rate2.9% 29

Spending Cuts Made Employee furloughs $43,000 The combination of furloughs and increases in health insurance will eliminate the value of raises in FY 13 for nonunion employees Reduce hours for several part-time employees (no further cuts to Economic Development) $30,000 Reduce Fire Depts requests $21,000 30

More Spending Cuts Made Library cuts$15,000 Nonprofit organizations$ 8,780 Technical Rescue$ 1,500 Rescue$ 3,500 31

More Spending Cuts Made Parks & Recreation cuts$23,000 Police cuts$15,000 Other cuts$ 7,100 32

Surplus Used Proposing the transfer of excess funds of $101,500 from Police Building account to General Fund and use it to reduce cuts in order to maintain services and avoid layoffs 33

Comparison of Municipal and School Taxes The Municipal tax rate is about 31% of the total tax bill for Colchester residents. If you have a house valued at $250,000, your FY 12 property taxes would be as follows: Education taxes $2,969 Municipal taxes$1,342 Total taxes$4,311 34

Cost of a 1.5¢ Tax Increase in FY 13 Assessed Value FY 13 Tax Increase Weekly Tax Increase $150,000$23$0.43 $200,000$30$0.58 $250,000$38$0.72 $300,000$45$0.87 $350,000$53$1.01 $400,000$60$1.15 $450,000 $68 $1.30 $500,000$75$1.44 $550,000$83$

FY 13 MUNICIPAL BUDGET REVISION VOTE ON MAY 1,