Sense & Nonsense - City Budget Facts

The famous Brady rumor mill and commercial news sources have different sets of "facts" about exactly how much the City Budget was in the past and what it is now. Some say the proposed budget (fiscal 2012-13) is "about the same as last year" while others say it is up 25% or more. Verifiable facts are the only way to silence the rumor mill.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one is entitled to their own facts. BBN will present the most recent data available, with references, and let you figure it out for yourself.

The first fact to keep in mind is that the current fiscal year (2011-12) is not quite over so the final spending numbers have not been tabulated. No one, not even the accountants working on it, know the final revenue and spending figures. All there is to go on is what the City Council adopted last August - a $20,069,984 budget for the current 2011-12 fiscal year.

The City Budget for the coming fiscal year (2012-13) will not become final until the after the second reading on Tuesday, Sept 4. It is proposed to total roughly 23.8 million dollars. The final document has not been published as of this writing. When it is, BBN will present it in detail.

Historically, City expenditures were:

2007-08 - $16.7 million

2008-09 - $16.3 million

2009-10 - $17.7 million

2010-11 - $20.4 million

2011-12 - Budgeted $20.069 million

2012-13 - Proposed $23.8 million

Remember that budgets are planning documents. They do not represent actual expenditures. Only careful, competent management and oversight throughout the year can make the budget plan into spending reality.

Reference: Page "a" of the City of Brady 2011-12 Budget as adopted on August 24, 2011

- - -

For a Summary of The Current 2011-12 Brady City Budget, See:

- o -