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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes • September 8, 1998 Page 9 1 D. Resolution 98-070, re: Set City's proposed 1999 tax leve and budget 2 Mr. Mornson presented the City's proposed 1999 tax levy and budget. He stated the proposed 3 levy must be identified by September 15, 1998 for fiscal year 1999. He added the City sets the 4 levy and holds a budget work session on October 6, Truth in Taxation hearings on December 7 5 and 16, and then arrives at a final resolution. 6 Cavanaugh asked whether the levy could be changed. Mayor Ranallo confirmed the levy 7 amount could be decreased. Cavanaugh stated in his opinion the budget format is confusing 8 and needs to b enhanced. He added for a new Councilmember, the budgeting process has been 9 difficult for him to understand. He stated the October 6 meeting might be a good opportunity 10 to address this problem. 11 Thuesen stated he also had a difficult time understanding the budget process. He added the 12 budget draft appears to be comprised of numbers, and stressed the need for table of contents, 13 mission and goal statement, fiscal policies, benchmarks, goals and objectives, department 14 summaries, and glossary. He stated the City and its residents would benefit from a budget on 15 paper that includes these items. He added residents should be able to go to the library and 16 review, understand and discuss the document which in its current form is impossible. • Mayor Ranallo stated the City held a recent work session at which all Department Heads, 18 supervisors and the Finance Director were in attendance, and that would have been the ideal 19 format for such a discussion. He added that the full Council had been present at this work 20 session but these issues were not raised. 21 Thuesen stated as a new Councilmember he is still learning and studying these processes; 22 however, in order for them to be understandable and meaningful, changes needed to be made. 23 Mayor Ranallo stated these are the very reasons that two work sessions were held. He added 24 while a learning curve is acceptable, it should not be at the expense of the taxpayer. Thuesen 25 stated he had no intention of learning at the expense of the taxpayer. 26 Faust questioned the intent of Thuesen and Cavanaugh, asking if they meant to imply 27 skullduggery. 28 Cavanaugh stated he felt left out of the process as a Councilmember, attending the Council 29 meeting with a book that has no narrative. He invited the audience to attend the October 6 30 budget work session. Thuesen stated there was no skulduggery on his part; however, he 31 believes the City needs to work on the budget format. 32 Cavanaugh stated he requested an investment sheet from the City offices, detailing the City's $9 million in investments. After a lengthy wait, he received a large, confusing packet of 4 information. He added he requested the same document from another community, and 35 immediately received a succinct summary printed on 9" X 11" paper. He stated since the