Cracking The Code: Financial Procedures

Near the beginning of the Rye City Code, there is a really riveting section entitled "Financial Procedures." This deals with stuff like "submitting a tentative budget" and proposing "Bond Resolutions." The latter is particularly infuriating. Since it consists of a committee getting together just to discuss what 007 should do in his next movie. And we're paying for it! 

The "Tentative Budget" stuff isn't much better. For instance, Rye–as you know–is cutting back on some of its basic services. But at City Council meetings they're still serving free Ring Dings!

What's up with that?

In any case, to get some kind of handle on how The City goes about constructing its budget, I thought I'd elucidate a bit. And if that doesn't work? Then I'll explain everything.

Now "on or before November 7 of each year" the City Manager submits a "Tentative Budget" to "the Council." It's easy to tell that it's "tentative," because of temporary suggestions that will soon be changed. Like the one that says to cut costs at the weekly meetings, they will soon be serving Little Debbie snack cakes. You know this won't last. It's even written in pencil.

After this everybody looks at the other cost-cutting measures. And after 15 minutes of hysterical laughter and a few paper airplanes thrown at the City Manager, they get down to work.

In an "accompanying message," the Manager outlines the "proposed financial policies of the city," as well as indicating any changes from the current year. Actually since things are supposed to improve in 3 years, they are seriously thinking of calling next year "2014." Thereby skipping a long, hard period of actual recovery.

As you know, Rye has been hit hard by the general economic downturn in the country, so there will be some big changes for 2012. However, even though they want to attract more people to the beach, that "clothing optional" idea has been dropped. Basically, it was just something a local drunk shouted out at a City Council meeting. Hey, I've already apologized and done my 30 meetings in 30 days. What more do you want from me?!

"Each board, commission, department, office and agency," also have to submit their own budget estimates to the City Manager every year. And, needless to say, after that recent incident in Rye Brook, these budgets will really be scrutinized. Imagine, along with office supplies, some department head trying to order a couple of Armani suits. And this guy might have gotten away with it. If he hadn't actually worn one to the next meeting!

Everybody, this has got to stop.

Once these estimates are in, the City Manager then puts together something called the "Tentative Budget." Which includes all "anticipated revenues and expenditures" for the upcoming fiscal year.

This is where the bureaucratic nightmare begins. This "Tentative Budget" then turns into a "Proposed Budget," then a "Projected Budget" and for one scary week a "Defense Budget."

After that, it gets performed by a jazz vocalist and called the "Improvised Budget." Then, a woman-shopper gets brought in and it morphs into a "Household Budget." Eventually the whole thing settles down and it becomes the budget we all know and love.

Except, all these incarnations have added $14,000 to the final price. But we've cut down on some of these expenses, at least. The vocalist is not in the union. So that saves us around 50 bucks.

If the City Council wants to make any changes at this juncture, they need the votes of at least 4 members. Or barring that, one with multiple personalities.

Before the budget gets presented to the public, any "board, commission or agency" not under the "direction and supervision of the City Manager" may request a hearing to discuss the budget estimates. Sometimes they are even able to request that a few things be added, provided they don't sound too personal. For instance, if they ask for socks? It will be shot down immediately.

Once these intra-agency things are done, there will be a public hearing so people in Rye can have their say. Just a warning though, it needs to pertain to the budget. Anyone claiming that Rye Brook's name is too close to ours and we should sue for copyright infringement, will be politely ignored. And expect a few impatient people to slap their foreheads too. And yours.

If there are no major problems, this new budget shall be adopted "on or before" December 31st, otherwise known as New Year's Eve. Will there be a big party that night to celebrate all this hard work? You'll have to check the budget for that too, to see if funds are allocated for such a bash. But it's been a pretty tough year. So if the budget also claims there's money to hire K.C. And The Sunshine Band, expect another City meeting. And this time folks? It won't be pretty.