FY 2012 City Budget: How Could You be Affected?

Gulfport City Council members have to adopt the Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year 2011/2012 before September 30th. Public hearings are set for Thursday, September 8 and Wednesday September 21, 2011 at 7 p.m. at Gulfport City Hall.

The Budget

$10,253,038 = estimated cost for the City to operate between Oct. 1, 2011 - September 30, 2012.

$8,005,067 = estimated revenues the City will collect next fiscal year.

$2,247,971 = estimated shortfall for FY 2011/2012

Transferring Funds/Revenues to General Fund

• $925,000: Proposed amount of $925,000 from the Marina, Utilities and Sanitation Enterprise Fund to be used for the General Fund.
• $700,612: Proposed use of Enterprise Funds with a 10% Admin Overhead (revenues that will be generated in FY 2012 by Marine, Utilities and Sanitation with fee increases in place) to be used for the General Fund.
• $622,359: Proposed use of non-recurring revenues from the General Fund Reserves to be used for the General Fund.

Funds To Help Offset Other Costs

• $300,000: Proposed use of one-time General Empoyee Pension Reserves to be used to offset the City's rising pension contribution rates, as statutorily required.

Millage Rate Increase

• Proposed millage rate of 3.8176 (an increase from 3.4742)

Fee Increases

• Proposed 12.5% increase in Sanitation/Recycling Fees. This should generate $170,000. Current residential garbage is $16.35/month, a 12.5% increase would make it $18.39/month. Current recycling is $1.50/month, a 12.5% increase would make it $1.69/month.
• Proposed 10% increase in General Governmental Fees. This should generate $50,000.

Existing Programs/Services

There is no proposed elimination of existing services or programs. 

Recent History: General Fund Reserves

The City of Gulfport has $4.6 million dollars in General Fund Reserves. The last time the city dipped into the General Fund Reserves was for Fiscal Year 2006/2007. Prior to that, the highest recorded amount in that fund was $7.2 million during Fiscal Year 2002/2003.

Recent History: Property Taxes

Real Estate taxes are declining and it's estimated that the value of taxable property will drop 8.8% from this year to FY 2012.

• By the numbers that is a decline from $718,451,015 to $654,348,542 of value.
• The City is expected to collect $2,330,288 from property taxes for FY 2010/2011 (Ending Sept. 30th).
• A decline of 8.8% would mean a collection of $2,123,358 during FY 2011/2012; $206,930 less. 
• Property taxes make up 22% of the revenues used to balance the budget.

Recent History: Millage Rate

• FY 2005/2006 = 4.30
• FY 2006/2007 = 3.87
• FY 2007/2008 = 3.3487
• FY 2008/2009 = 3.4742
• FY 2009/2010 = 3.4742
• FY 2010/2011 = 3.4742

Recent History: General Fund Budget

• FY 2008/2009 = $11,133,075
• FY 2009/2010 = $10,554,914
• FY 2010/2011 = $9,982,955
• Proposed FY 2011/2012 = $10,253,038

The City Manager's Proposed Operating Budget FY 2011/2012 is available online on the city's website.

The budget is up for discussion at today's City Council Workshop at 3:30 p.m. at . You can view and print the entire agenda here.