Minutes 04/24/1990 - Laserfiche WebLink

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April 24,~-~990 90-151 Public Bearing to consider the proposed Ann~ua~l - Operating Budget and Tax Rates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1991. The following i~s the Interim City Manager's.Budget~letter. "BUDGET MESSAGE Recently, our City submitted its competitive application for an ~ll-America City Award for cit~zen~action, effective organization and community improvement.. The City of Portsmouth in 1976 wa-s the-proud^recipient of this 'distinguished~ award ~rom the National ~i~s'ague~ With~is submission, we-have- developed ~ ~heme of~h~w our City has ~ecome "REMINDEt)~-of its business and civic commitments, how it has. "RECLAIMED%~its~ neighborhood commitment, how it is determined to "RESPOND" to the needs of al~'~f ~ts citizens and~dao~!~t~has '~REDEVELOPED" its self image~ The fiscal year 1990-91 budget submission represents the resource assignments with which we shall continue these "R" commitments int-~ the t990's. As you will note, our beginning will represent bu~ a small success~ You are encourage~ to remember, however-, that big gains come from many small~steps, and that small successes have a way of multiplying. Accordingly, our initial success will come on a small scale. That small scal'e will be realized with ~iscal responsibility. As w~ look-around at our community, we no doubt can see and touch ~our progress of the 1980's. ~ Our financial realities, however, force us tO recognize the urgency of the greater fiscal responsibility needed to sustain our growth and continue our success. Essential to our continued success will be strong business and ci~vic literacy and leadership~ Our business and civic leaders ~st form a "Workab~s~artne~ship," surround our problems with remarkable ~alent~and make.a full commitment to~ the rewards'~of working together. Thereby, we can properly orient our community to find solutions to common problems and position ourselves for continued growth and prosperity. Only with this~wisdom~and vision can Portsmouth~succeed in the 1990's. ~s we~ap~roached this budget process, the question was posed, "What can w~ do to sustain our~growth without a further decline of our financial position?" Unfortunately, this question does not lend itself to a simple solution. The answer, however, may be'found in the strength, determination and wisdom of our citizens, civic and business leaders, and their elected representatives, the "Workable Partnership." The very first opportunity ~n our budget came with costs containment. Over the last nine years, general government operations have grown at an average annual rate of 6.43%. T~is year, the growth of government spending has been held to 3.46%, or $2,385~063 (the largest single increase is in the City Sheriff's budget, which alone accounts for $939,33~ of the total increase). While our preference would have been for an even lower percentage; a growth rate of 3.46% represents the determination of management to reduce the costs of general government operations. One of the many causes for the continued growth in government operations is in personnel costs. This budget reflects a'net increase of zero new positions~ Additionally, with the guidance and assistance of the Director of Personnel and his staff, it is expected that'the City':s workforce during the coming year will be reduced by an additional 15 positions with no layoffs.