Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee Tackles Funding
License Plate Readers project added to agenda at last minute –
The Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee met on March 27 in the Police Department Emergency Operations Center. The agenda as considered by the Committee was not circulated in a manner compliant with the Brown Act, California’s sunshine law.
The Committee considered the following items:
1. Review of FY 2012-13 mid year report
2. Discussion of financial impacts of possible license plate reader project. This item was belatedly placed on the agenda at the request of Councilmember Jeff Weiler, who is not a member of the Committee.
The Police Chief’s staff report on license plate readers was not provided at the meeting and the committee took no position on the merits of the proposal, deferring to the Public Safety Committee’s review and recommendation to the City Council. The Committee noted there was no funding for the license plate reader project available or included in the FY 2013-14 General Fund budget or in the 5-year financial projections. If the $886,000 balance in unallocated CIP funds are used to purchase the license plate readers, provisions for replenishing the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) fund over the next 5 years were not part of the information provided. The CIP fund has been regarded as essential to overall financial stability by maintaining and enhancing existing facilities.
The proceedings of the meeting of the Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee are not recorded in minutes or broadcast via KCOM, web streaming or videos.
The Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee was formed by the City Council to review and provide comment on five year projections contained in the City’s annual budget proposal, the proposed funding and expenditures from several long term funds, and the proposed mid-year budget adjustments. It also provides a financial review of new programs in excess of $250,000 per year. Click here to read the committee’s charge.
