The preliminary budgets for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 were introduced April 4. If you’re interested in looking through it, here’s the proposed budget book. It can be an intimidating document, but you can learn a lot by reading the City Manager’s Budget Message.
The Assembly met April 4 in a Special Assembly Meeting followed immediately by an Assembly Finance Meeting. No action was taken. The Assembly introduced three ordinances on the budget and one resolution on the Capital Improvement Program, and referred them to Assembly Finance Committee.
During the Finance Committee Meeting, the city manager presented the budget overview. The preliminary budget totals about $333 million. That includes about $86 million for the Juneau School District, $25 million for capital improvement projects and $69 million for general government departments. The rest goes to enterprise organizations and debt service. For FY19, the manager has proposed the mill rate be 10.66, which is the same as last year. While there’s a $500,000 increase in the general government’s FY19 proposed budget, city staff is proposing to balance the budget with a small draw from the fund balance.
The Finance Committee also heard presentations from the Juneau School District and on the Capital Improvement Program.
On April 11, the Assembly Finance Committee is scheduled to hear presentations from the Juneau International Airport, the Docks & Harbors Department and the Juneau Community Foundation. The committee is also scheduled to take action on the Capital Improvement Program.
Don’t forget, April 25 is your opportunity to weigh in! The public can comment on the CBJ operating budget, the Juneau School District general operating budget, Capital Improvement Program and the property tax mill levy rate at a public hearing during a Special Juneau Assembly Meeting on April 25 at 5:30 p.m.