The 2018 budget is guided by the City Commission’s strategic plan which contains seven critical success factors:
- Effective Governance & Professional Administration
- Safe, Healthy & Welcoming Neighborhoods
- Innovative Infrastructure & Asset Management
- Commitment to Core Services
- Sound Fiscal Stewardship
- Collaborative Solutions
- Economic Growth and Security
Annual Budget Process
City staff begins the budget preparation in early February. The City Manager presented the recommended budget to the City Commission May 9 at a work session and an update was provided on June 13. In the following months feedback was collected and adjustments were made as necessary. Public input was provided online through Lawrence Listens and in-person during City Commission meetings. The budget hearing was August 1 and the budget was adopted on August 8. Here is the 2018 budget process calendar (PDF).
- August 1 Budget Hearing
- LJW Editorial Response: July 14, 2017 Letter to Lawrence Journal World
- June 13 Budget Update
- June 13 Sales Tax Renewal Proposal
- May 9 City Manager’s Recommended Budget Presentation
Get Involved
The budget process involves many constituents. The City used Lawrence Listens to collect feedback about budget priorities. The findings were presented on June 13, 2017 at the City Commission work session.
Outside Agency Funding
Each year, the City provides an opportunity for outside agencies and organizations to submit funding requests. The application to request funding for 2018 has now closed. The Social Service Funding Advisory Board and City staff have reviewed the applications. All recommendations for funding were included in the 2018 City Manager’s recommended budget. A full list of outside agency requests and adopted allocations can be found here.
For agencies that received funding in 2017, please note the reporting requirements are different from previous years. There is no longer a mid-year report due in July. There will only be a cumulative report due February 15, 2018. All reporting requirements are outlined in the agencies agreement with the City. Those agreements can be found online.
Additional Materials
Additionally we have added a structured budget form and a structured revenue form.
Finally, the supplemental information (IRS Form 990, Financial Audit, and Annual Report) will be submitted at the time of the application and not collected at a later date.
For example, social service agencies will have their applications reviewed by the Social Service Funding Advisory Board. Intergovernmental agencies will submit a transmittal memo requesting funds from the City, similar to internal processes, and be reviewed by staff.
Staff will review all new applicants to determine what classification best aligns with the proposed program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Property tax rates are based on mills and are assessed through a mill levy. One mill is equivalent to $1 for every thousand dollars of assess property value. For 2015, most property owners within City limits have a mill levy rate of 130.992 mills.
There are three aspects to the City’s portion of property taxes. First, 19.475 mills are used to support the general fund (the main operating fund for the City). Second, 8.504 mills are used to support the debt service fund (the fund used to pay-off long-term debts such as general obligation bonds). Third, 4.039 is used to support the library fund (all revenue generated through this portion of the property tax goes to the Lawrence Public Library).
For example, a house appraised at $100,000 would have an assessed property value of $11,500 ($100,000 X 11.5%). The City’s portion of the property tax on this house would be $361.65 ($11,500/$1,000 X 31.448).
The debt service is generally paid from a City levied property tax and therefore in order to keep the tax rate level, large projects are identified over five year periods in the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and balanced to City financial forecasts. Adding or adjusting any of the projects in the debt funded portion of the CIP necessitates adjusting other CIP projects in order to keep the forecasts in balance.
