Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 9, 1991 TAG: 9103090167
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
"It's a timing problem. No one's playing any games," City Manager Robert Asbury Jr. said. "The constitutional officers are being forthright."
Council, which starts on its budget in January, is scheduled to adopt the 1991-92 budget by May 6.
Constitutional officers, who also submit estimated figures in January, generally do not know until spring how much the state will provide. The certification policy essentially would reopen the budget for final approval, Asbury said.
City staff and council members have spent the last week trying to find a way to clear up problems caused when offices funded with state and city money must estimate their budgets before final state appropriations are made.
The city's main concern is that it may be paying more than it should, based on early estimates, when actual state appropriations fall short later.
Constitutional officers - the sheriff, commonwealth's attorney, clerk of courts, treasurer, commissioner of revenue and other elected officials whose offices receive city and state money - and other offices supported by city and state funds are unable to paint true budget pictures so far ahead of state appropriations.
Council members are concerned the city has been appropriating its fair share, based on early estimates, then has not been adjusting downward when the state kicks in less than anticipated.
They want to know of budget changes so the city can adjust its share accordingly.
At a Thursday budget work session, Mayor Tom Starnes read a proposed policy that would require all boards, commissions and agencies that receive money from Radford to submit certified summaries of the money received from state or other jurisdictions.
New River Valley agencies, such as the Health Department or Community Services Board, also would be required to certify that other valley localities contributed their share of money.
"These numbers do change during the year, either up or down," Starnes said. "Generally they go down."
To avoid local governments unfairly having to pick up increasing amounts to operate state-mandated offices, "we have to start telling the state they have to come up with more money," Starnes said.
Council did not vote on the policy, but told constitutional officers and others presenting budget requests to expect it soon.
Asbury said budget-making schedules of council and the state are "out of sync," causing constitutional officers to request city funds based on anticipated state funding.
Council will have another budget work session Monday at 6 p.m. before its regular 7:30 p.m. council meeting.
The city's proposed budget of $34,983,319 calls for no increases in real estate or personal property taxes.
by CNB