Mayor Gavin Buckley will deliver the annual “State of the City” address to the City Council tonight at 7 p.m. during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. The City’s budget will be introduced later in the same meeting.
“It’s been 16 months since I was sworn into office,” Mayor Buckley said. “We have done a lot to get our financial house in order. Our bond rating is strong and every dime expended is accounted for through regular appropriations. I am looking forward to sharing what we’ve learned with residents.”
Here is the process: On Monday, Mayor Gavin Buckley will introduce the budget as a City ordinance.
Next, the Finance Committee, a standing committee of the City Council chaired by Alderman Ross Arnett (Democrat, Ward 8), with Alderman Fred Paone (Republican, Ward 2) and Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson (Democrat, Ward 4) will review and amend the Operating and Capital portions of the budget. This review takes place over several weeks and multiple Finance Committee meetings. All meetings are open and broadcast on Annapolis City TV, YouTube and Facebook Live.
Two citizen commissions also conduct reviews. The Planning Commission will review and make recommendations to the Capital budget. The Financial Advisory Commission may review both the Operating and Capital budgets. Once the commissions’ recommendations are sent to the Finance Committee and amendments are adopted, the budget is sent to the City Council to be further amended and adopted.
Council members may adopt the Mayor’s budget as-is. They may elect to move money within departments or between departments. They may come up with new spending. However, the Council must balance the budget. If new appropriations are added, there needs to be a commensurate revenue increase (taxes or fines) to pay for the increases.
The final date for passage of the budget is June 30.
