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Budget
Kirkland Council Unanimously Adopts 2013-2014 City Budget
KIRKLAND, Wash. – At its December 11, 2012 meeting, the Kirkland City Council adopted the 2013-2014 Budget. The two-year budget totals approximately $540 million which is a 13.2% increase from the previous biennial budget due to the full two-year cost of providing services to the new neighborhoods, increased health benefit costs, the passage of Propositions 1 and 2, construction and occupancy of the Public Safety Building and anticipated increases in revenue from Real Estate Excise Tax (REET), impact fees, and lodging tax due to the improving economy. In order to balance the budget, $5.3 million in cuts were necessary to ensure the City’s expenses would equal its revenue.
In his Budget Message, City Manager Kurt Triplett conveys “This budget funds the priorities and vision of our citizens as identified by our community survey and achieves progress on the Goals adopted by the City Council.” He further states “This budget provides the opportunity to recalibrate the projected revenues and service needs, now that the City has been operating in the new neighborhoods since June 1, 2011.”
Guide to Kirkland's Budget
The City’s Budget is composed of 24 separate funds that are balanced independently—revenues equal expenditures. The City's budget is divided into four primary sections—General Government, Water/Sewer Utility, Surface Water Utility, and Solid Waste Utility. Within each primary section there are operating and non-operating funds, with the exception of the Solid Waste Utility which is comprised of an operating fund only.
General government operating funds account for services to the public including public safety, street maintenance, land use, parks and administrative functions. Taxes, fees and charges, and contributions from other governments are the primary finance sources for general government non-operation funds account for debt service, capital improvements and reserves related to these operating funds.
Like the general government funds, the Water/Sewer Utility and the Surface Water Utility both have operating and non-operating components. Distinct from the general government funds, each of the utilities operates much the same as a business (enterprise), with customer charges (rates) supporting all costs. Resources of the utilities cannot be used to subsidize general government functions.
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