To take advantage of greater efficiencies in its long-rang financial planning process, City Council unanimously voted to move from an annual budget process, to a biennial budget process at its Dec. 6, 2011 meeting.
The City’s finance department cites a number of advantages to moving to budgeting every two years:
• Credit agencies look very favorably during an upgrade request on agencies that plan longer term with five‐year projections and two‐year budgets.
• Biennial budgeting allows more time for long‐term planning, program review, and evaluation.
• During non-budget years, allows the Budget Committee to dig deeper into issues while still preserving the ability to review annual updates on budget estimates and annual reports as prepared by City staff.
• Allows the City Finance Department to concentrate on other improvements in City finances during the years where the budget process does not need to be conducted.
• Promotes sustainability in government with less frequent use of paper and other resources including printing and advertising costs.
• Allows project flexibility in project timing within the biennium period.
