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Budget Process
The Budget Process
The City of Oakland operates on a two-year budget cycle. The budget process is the formal method the City uses to establish its goals, program priorities and desired service levels for the upcoming fiscal period, and identifies the resources necessary to achieve them. In this process, the projected revenue must balance with the expenditure, and the budget must be adopted on or before June 30. Essentially, it is a process through which policy is made, programs are articulated, and resources are identified in order to put them into effect.
The budget process consists of several important stages: 1) Budget Development, 2) Budget Adoption, and 3) Budget Amendment.
Budget Development (Odd Years)
Baseline Development | The Budget Office begins the budget development process in the Fall prior to adoption by working with departments on baseline revenue and expenditures—taking into account the latest applicable regulations, federal and state budget impacts, debt payment schedule, economic projections, outstanding obligations, and projected retirement and health care costs. |
| Special Budget Workshop | The City holds Budget Development Workshops in the Spring prior to adoption to provide the City Council and the Oakland community with an overview of the current status of the City budget and other information relevant to development of the Proposed Budget. The Administration will present the State of the Budget; an overview of economic indicators and trends; revenue analysis and projections, including a five-year forecast. |
| May: Proposed Policy Budget Released | By May 1, the Mayor and City Administrator release the Proposed Policy Budget. The document will be available on City’s website. |
Proposed Budget Presented to City Council | The Mayor and City Administrator formally present the Proposed Budget to the City Council. |
Budget Town Hall Meetings and Community Input | Throughout the process, the City Council hosts a series of town hall meetings on the proposed budget to discuss the proposals with the community and solicit their feedback. |
June: | The City Council holds formal budget hearings to deliberate and reach final decisions. |
Budget Adoption
| By June 30: Council Budget Adoption | As required by the City Charter, the City Council adopts a balanced budget by June 30, preceding the start of the fiscal year commencing July 1. The Adopted Budget provides two-year appropriation authority for all funds, and first- and second-year appropriations for the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). |
Budget Amendment (Even Years)
| Midcycle Budget Amendment | During the second year of the two-year budget cycle, the Mayor and Council conduct a Mid-cycle budget review limited to significant variances in estimated revenue and/or revised mandates arising from Federal, State or Court actions. |
Year-Round | The budget is a policy document that provides a comprehensive framework of resource allocations for implementation of the City’s goals, priorities and program activities covering the two-year fiscal period. Amendments to the budget may be made throughout the two-year period. Appropriation of new money or transfers between funds and Departments requires formal action through Council resolution. Transfers between divisions and accounts within a fund/department may be made at the administrative level. These transfers can be authorized by the City Administrator, Budget Office, Controller’s Office or Department Directors, depending on the nature of the transfer. |
