budget Process
The county budget process involves county commissioners hearing budget presentations from the county manager and various department heads in late March and early April. Commissioners can choose to take a vote on each section of the budget prior to an official overall budget vote to give an idea of support and potential issues along the way. After the commission passes the initial version of the budget, it then goes to the budget committee where there will be deliberations and a public hearing, likely in May. The budget committee is comprised of 3 members from each of the 5 commission districts, with two being elected municipal officials and one representing a member of the public. Members are selected at an annual caucus, typically held in April, where any elected municipal official in the county can vote on the selection. It can also have a non-voting member from the legislative delegation. The committee then adopts its version of the budget and submits it back to the commission, who can either adopt it as is or modify it. If commissioners decide to modify the budget, it then goes back to the budget committee for final passage either by overriding the commission decision or agreeing with the changes made as the final step in the process. The budget must be adopted prior to the start of the new fiscal year starting July 1st.
Budget Committee Membership
The budget committee consists of 15 voting members and one nonvoting member selected as follows. [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
1. Municipal and public representatives. No later than 100 days before the end of the county's fiscal year, elected municipal officials within each commissioner district shall caucus and elect representatives to the budget committee from that district for terms as provided in paragraph A. There must be 3 members from each commissioner district, 2 of whom are elected municipal officials and one of whom is a public representative. No more than one member may represent the same municipality at a time.
A. Members shall serve for 3-year terms, except that initially each district caucus shall select one member for a one-year term, one member for a 2-year term and one member for a 3-year term. If a committee member ceases to be a municipal officer or official during the term of membership, the committee member shall resign the membership and the next district caucus shall elect a qualified municipal officer or official to fill the membership for the remainder of the unexpired term. [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2007, c. 663, §14 (AMD).]
2. Legislative member. No later than 100 days before the end of the county's fiscal year, the York County legislative delegation shall elect one of the delegation's members to serve as a nonvoting member on the budget committee.
[PL 2007, c. 663, §14 (AMD).]
3. Committee chair. The budget committee shall select its own chair each year.
1. Municipal and public representatives. No later than 100 days before the end of the county's fiscal year, elected municipal officials within each commissioner district shall caucus and elect representatives to the budget committee from that district for terms as provided in paragraph A. There must be 3 members from each commissioner district, 2 of whom are elected municipal officials and one of whom is a public representative. No more than one member may represent the same municipality at a time.
A. Members shall serve for 3-year terms, except that initially each district caucus shall select one member for a one-year term, one member for a 2-year term and one member for a 3-year term. If a committee member ceases to be a municipal officer or official during the term of membership, the committee member shall resign the membership and the next district caucus shall elect a qualified municipal officer or official to fill the membership for the remainder of the unexpired term. [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2007, c. 663, §14 (AMD).]
2. Legislative member. No later than 100 days before the end of the county's fiscal year, the York County legislative delegation shall elect one of the delegation's members to serve as a nonvoting member on the budget committee.
[PL 2007, c. 663, §14 (AMD).]
3. Committee chair. The budget committee shall select its own chair each year.
Process
1. Budget procedures. The county commissioners shall submit itemized finance estimates in the form of a budget to the budget committee no later than 60 days before the end of the county's fiscal year.
[PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
2. Budget review process. The budget committee shall review the itemized estimated budget prepared by the county commissioners, together with any supplementary material prepared by the head of each county department or provided by any independent board or institution or another governmental agency. The budget committee shall prepare a proposed budget and may increase, decrease or alter the estimated budget as long as:
A. The budget committee enters into its minutes an explanation for any suggested change in the estimated expenditures and revenues as initially presented by the county commissioners; and [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
B. In the proposed budget, the total estimated revenues, together with the amount of county tax to be levied, equal the total estimated expenditures. [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
3. Public hearing. The budget committee shall hold a public hearing in the county on the proposed budget before the end of the county's fiscal year and before the final adoption of the budget. Notice of the hearing must be given in all newspapers of general circulation within the county at least 10 days before the hearing. Written notice and a copy of the proposed budget must be sent by mail, or delivered in person, to the clerk of each municipality in the county. The municipal clerk shall notify the municipal officials of the proposed budget.
[PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
4. Adoption of budget; tax levy. After the public hearing is completed, the budget committee shall adopt a final budget and transmit that budget to the county commissioners.
A. The budget adopted by the budget committee may be changed only by a majority vote of the county commissioners and a majority vote of all elected members of the budget committee. Those actions are final and are not subject to further action by either the county commissioners or the budget committee. [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
B. The budget adopted and changed under this subsection is the final authorization for the assessment of county taxes and the county tax authorized is apportioned and collected in accordance with section 706.
[PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
2. Budget review process. The budget committee shall review the itemized estimated budget prepared by the county commissioners, together with any supplementary material prepared by the head of each county department or provided by any independent board or institution or another governmental agency. The budget committee shall prepare a proposed budget and may increase, decrease or alter the estimated budget as long as:
A. The budget committee enters into its minutes an explanation for any suggested change in the estimated expenditures and revenues as initially presented by the county commissioners; and [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
B. In the proposed budget, the total estimated revenues, together with the amount of county tax to be levied, equal the total estimated expenditures. [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
3. Public hearing. The budget committee shall hold a public hearing in the county on the proposed budget before the end of the county's fiscal year and before the final adoption of the budget. Notice of the hearing must be given in all newspapers of general circulation within the county at least 10 days before the hearing. Written notice and a copy of the proposed budget must be sent by mail, or delivered in person, to the clerk of each municipality in the county. The municipal clerk shall notify the municipal officials of the proposed budget.
[PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
4. Adoption of budget; tax levy. After the public hearing is completed, the budget committee shall adopt a final budget and transmit that budget to the county commissioners.
A. The budget adopted by the budget committee may be changed only by a majority vote of the county commissioners and a majority vote of all elected members of the budget committee. Those actions are final and are not subject to further action by either the county commissioners or the budget committee. [PL 1993, c. 623, §1 (NEW).]
B. The budget adopted and changed under this subsection is the final authorization for the assessment of county taxes and the county tax authorized is apportioned and collected in accordance with section 706.
