BOULDER CITY – The City Council of Boulder City last night approved the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget. The City staff revised the general fund budget in recent weeks to reflect the impacts of the COVID-19 Emergency, making major concessions compared to the initial budget presented to the public in March 2020.
The staff anticipates that C-Tax collections, property taxes, fines and forfeitures may drop as low as 40-percent from the pre-COVID-19 revenues. The Finance staff says the rents and royalties forecast should remain stable, as the City’s solar leases tend to be recession-resistant and should remain steady. Approximately $6.5 million from the General Fund Balance will be used to balance the FY21 budget, but reserves remain well-within best accounting practices.
Staff cut the 2020 fiscal year budget starting in March in order to bolster the fund balance going into FY21. “Boulder City Department Directors tightened belts to prepare for an estimated $9.1 million loss of projected revenues, while avoiding an impact to the service levels we provide to our residents, businesses and visitors,” said City Manager Al Noyola. “Since March, staff has frozen filling of all vacant positions as they occur, decreased most discretionary spending, and frozen all non-essential training and travel. Vacant positions will remain frozen until FY22. I am proud of the tough work put in by this staff to make us lean while continuing to provide excellent customer service.”
“We are in uncertain times now and trying to forecast a budget is difficult to do when the impact of the pandemic is not fully known. I do know that I will work in cooperation with the other Council members and City staff to protect our community by keeping spending to essential services,” said Mayor Kiernan McManus. “We are fortunate to be less dependent on the tourism industry that is suffering so much, and to have the stability of the investments in solar energy production. We will get through this together, Boulder City.”
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Boulder City Finance Department has provided up-to-the-minute information to the City Council and senior staff on the ever-changing financial implications of policy decisions happening on a state level,” said Diane Pelletier, Finance Director. “This budget reflects the direction of the City under the current set of circumstances. The Finance staff is committed to continuously monitoring the financial health of Boulder City throughout the crisis and changing course as needed to weather the storm until normal times return.”
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