2013 Budget - City of Guelph

Operating budget processThe City’s operating budget process begins with timelines, strategies and guidelines that are presented toCouncil for consideration and approval. Once these items are approved, staff begin the preparation of theCity’s budget.Note that for the City’s water and wastewater budgets, Council has previously provided direction regardingthe rate increase that would be considered acceptable. For water and wastewater budgets, a 10% guideline isfollowed in preparing their operating budgets. For Court Services and OBC Administration, the budgets thatare brought forward represent what is affordable given the projected revenues to be collected in the comingyear. The City’s Non-Tax Supported departments are subject to the same timelines that the City’s tax supporteddepartments follow.For purposes of this document, the remainder of this chapter will focus largely on the City’s Tax SupportedOperating budget; however, the principles and process outlined below and in Chapter 3 also apply to theNon-Tax Supported Departments. Complete details on the City’s Non-Tax Supported budgets can be found inChapter X of this document.Level of Budget ReviewFinancial ReportingBudget Monitoring and ReportingCouncil Approval of City BudgetsCouncil Review of City BudgetsPublic DelegationsExecutive Team and Finance ReviewFinance ReviewDepartment Preparation and ReviewBudget Schedule and Council DirectionCity of Guelph – 2013 Operating budget process25