Financial sustainability has been one of the defining issues of this decade for cities across the nation – and unfortunately Kent is no exception. Over the last 5 years the city’s revenues have failed to keep pace with expense growth and despite expense management efforts the gap between revenues and expenses has increased each year.
One thing is clear: the era of robust revenue growth is over, and health care, energy, and transportation costs are at all time highs. The city has been able to delay the impacts of its financial imbalance by deferring projects, reducing head count, freezing vacancies and making efficiency improvements to minimize the stress on core services. But without an infusion of new revenue, or a cut in services, the structural deficit will force the city to dip into its reserve fund balance for the third straight year in order to balance the books.
On a short term basis using reserve funds to bridge-over temporary problems is a reasonable strategy – after all that’s what reserve funds are for – but the problem is that the city can only go to the well so many times before we come up empty, and that day is now on the horizon – estimated at 2 ½ to 3 years from now. That may sound like it’s off in the distance but we need to be talking about it and planning for it now so that we can come up with a thoughtful, reasonable fix rather waiting until 2008 and having to act in desperation at the last minute when our options will be very limited.
Building a Solution
City Council has taken an unprecedented step to commit to a year-long, community-wide effort to develop a Financial Strategy to re-balance the budget and ensure the long term viability of city services. Council has assembled a panel of community representatives to join them in a series of financial workshops.
The Workshop schedules are as follows:
Expense Topics -
January – Overtime, Professional Services, Contracts
February – Health, Labor Costs, Staffing Levels
March – City Service Levels, Reduction Scenarios
Revenue Topics -
April – Fees, Chages and Fines Revenues
May – Income, Property Tax Revenues
June – Economic Development and Growth Revenues
Startegy Sessions -
July thru October - create a multi-year mix of expense/revenue options to
ensure a sustainable budget
Workshop Resources Available for Review
1.City of Kent Financial Condition Report - 17 page summary with charts, graphics and trend history documenting Kent’s financial challenges. Download this file
2. City of Kent Financial Strategy Process Proposal - 5 page summary of the process being used by City Council to develop the financial strategy. Download this file
3. Questions and Answers on City Budget – 1 page brief answering the most commonly asked questions about the city budget.Download this file
4. 2006 City Manager Budget Message – 4 page summary of 2006 city budget. Download this file
5. Summary of the January Budget Workshop - 2 page summary of the analysis of the overtime, professional services and contract costs trends.Download this file
6. Financial Benchmark Report – 14 page summary comparing Kent city expenses, revenues and staffing levels for city services with peer cities (includes demographic comparisons as well). Download this file
7. Summary of the February Budget Workshop - 2 page summary of the benchmarking of city services against peer cities. Download this file
8. City Service Reduction Considerations Report - Cover memo for department presentations for possible service reduction options and their impacts. Download this file
9. Summary of the March Budget Workshop – 2 page summary of the discussions of possible service reductions. Download this file
11. Kent Fees Report Cover Memo - 2 page lead in for April discussion of city fees, charges and fines revenues (includes comparison of city water and sewer rates with area cities).Download this file
12. Summary of April Budget Workshop — 2 page summary of city fees including comparison results with peer cities. Download this file
13. May 31st Tax Competitiveness Report – 10 page report reviewing city tax revenues, tax comparison with peer cities, cost of living index, local tax options summary, state and local tax scenario and state tax profile. Download this fileAgenda and cover memo also available. A recap of the findings of the May 31st meeting is available for Download
14. June 21st Economic Development Meeting Materials – The June meeting was devoted to understanding the city’s economic development opportunities and constraints for new revenue production. Staff compiled research materials outlining how cities and universities have partnered to lead economic development ventures. Download this file The Agenda and Cover Memo are also available.
15. July 26th “Parking Lot” Meeting Materials – The July meeting provided a chance for staff to present further research on a range of issues as requested by Council and the Blue Ribbon Panel that were previously set aside in the “parking lot.” The Agenda and Cover Letter are available. The Parking Lot Summary can be downloaded as well.
16. August Strategy Meeting Materials – The August meeting provided time for Council to discuss the process they want to use to propose budget balancing options and for soliciting public input into that process. To facilitate those efforts Council reviewed all city service areas and indicated their service priorities by ranking their preferences for what to cut, what to increase and what to keep the same. A general citizen survey on budget issues was also developed that will be included in the fall issue of the Tree City Bulletin. And lastly, Mr. Joe Zeno, CEO of ACS Industries came and spoke to Council about how to lead through challenging fiscal times.
Eigth Meeting Agenda
Download Council Budget Preferences Summary
Download 2006 Budget Snapshot
Download Budget Balancing Worksheet
Employee Budget Ideas
Download Citizen Budget SurveyForm
Joe Zeno Summary Remarks
For the short, “Cliff Notes” Summary of Budget Problem, click here.
Annual City Financial Audit Report for 2005 (completed 8/2006), Click Here
