City Sales Tax Revenues UP 3.28% for year.....

[Wrinkle]

This works out really well.

Today, even though last year I earned only $10, and have no reason to believe this year I'll earn anything different, reset my annual budget to $100 for next year and declared a 90% deficiency, cut all required expenses by 90%, thus will actually need only $1 to cover my costs.

Then, when my regular $10 comes in, I'll now have $9 to blow on beers and blondes.

[Wilbur]

Oh, give me a break.  I provide something tangible to back up what I'm saying and you rely solely on your gut.  Pay particular attention to the second half of that sentence.  I'll admit that I was 5% wrong if you'll admit that you are 95% full of beans.  Go ahead and argue with a piece of paper...it makes you look incredibly smart.

Saying that you can't use more then 5% from last year's budget does not mean you can't have more then 5% left over.  It says you can't use it for the operating budget, which, like the Mayor likes to point out, is only one of many sections of the city's total expenditure picture. 

...current operating revenues will be sufficient to support current operating expenses...

Means you can't deficit spend.  Has nothing to do with using money from last year.

Sorry.  NG.

[Oil Capital]

Tulsa is, as previously noted [edited].  Argue with a piece of paper, man.

You are really too much.   No, Tulsa is not. 

I am not arguing with your piece of paper, I am agreeing with your piece of paper.  I do wish you would read it for yourself.  There is quite simply nothing in your piece of paper that in any way restricts the amount of money that the city can carry forward from one year to the next.  Nothing. 

[Chicken Little]

You are really too much.   No, Tulsa is not. 

I am not arguing with your piece of paper, I am agreeing with your piece of paper.  I do wish you would read it for yourself.  There is quite simply nothing in your piece of paper that in any way restricts the amount of money that the city can carry forward from one year to the next.  Nothing. 

They just can't spend it.  Sounds like the same thing to me.

[Chicken Little]

Saying that you can't use more then 5% from last year's budget does not mean you can't have more then 5% left over.

Yes, you are right.  As I mentioned, because of the volatile nature of sales tax, some years you are going to be over budget, other years under. 

It says you can't use it for the operating budget, which, like the Mayor likes to point out, is only one of many sections of the city's total expenditure picture.

We agree again.  They can't carry it over into an operating account to pay your salary next year, but they can move it into a capital account, which goes towards a project.  The example I gave before was fixing a road.  What do you suppose happens when that money is transferred into a project account?  It gets spent, right?  That's what I'm saying.  They can't just keep mad money on hand for folks like you (although I'm sure you are worth it).
 

"...current operating revenues will be sufficient to support current operating expenses..."Means you can't deficit spend.  Has nothing to do with using money from last year.

Sure.  And "...in no case shall more than five percent (5%) of the operating budget be supported by the use of prior year's fund balances." says exactly what you can't do with last year's money.  Bit of a selective quote on your part, dontcha think?

[Wilbur]

Let all of us agree on one thing....

Government handles our money poorly.  There is absolutely no benefit to save money from one year to the next.  Departments are punished if they save their money and underspend their budget, because, next year, their budget will be cut since they have shown they can do with less.

I have seen it too many years in a row..... a mad rush at the end of the fiscal year to spend every penny left over.  Sad.

[nathanm]

I have seen it too many years in a row..... a mad rush at the end of the fiscal year to spend every penny left over.  Sad.

I don't know if I'm correct, but your post implies that you believe that it's different in any large commercial organization. It is not.

Basically, in any organization large enough to have departments, that's how it works. Hell, it's the same for small nonprofits operating on grant money. May as well buy that new computer/printer/whatever that they've been eyeing, as having money left over means the grants get reallocated, no matter whether they come from government, foundations, or whoever.