HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY 24 Budget in Brief2024 Budget in Brief
October 2023 through September 2024
BUDGET PROCESS
Mayor’s Recommended Budget
April through May
The Mayor recommends funding levels for employee wage and benefit cost increases to the City Council
to base the new budget on, with help from the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and staff. The Mayor holds
budget review meetings for each department. In the department meetings, the Mayor, members of the
City Council, the department head, and applicable supervisors discuss and recommend the preliminary
budget for that respective department. If necessary, after all departments are reviewed, the Mayor and
CFO will meet with department heads individually or collectively in a final review of the General Fund in
order to prepare a recommended list of cuts in expenditures so that the total expenditures equal the esti-
mated revenue to be available in that fund.
City Council Budget Review and Development
June through August
The City Council reviews and discusses the Mayor’s recommended budget and recommends changes.
The City Council then approves the tentative budget and estimated revenues, including recommended
utility fee increases, and sets a date and time for the public hearing on the budget and fee increases (if
necessary), which are then advertised in the local newspaper. The budget and fee increases are then
presented at the hearings and further decreases (not increases) in the budget amounts can be made at
that time or until the budget is approved. The fee increases are usually approved at the hearing, but usual-
ly are not effective until the beginning of the new fiscal year, which starts October 1.
City Council Budget Adoption
September
The final budget is approved by the City Council upon the third reading and adoption of the Appropriation
Ordinance, which must be completed by the first week in September.
Budget Highlights
Total Budget: $81,851,000 up $5,326,000
from the prior years amended budget.
Operating Budget: $43,095,400. The Gen-
eral Fund has a $413,000 Contingency for
unforeseen items
Street Revenues (including Carry-over):
$9,226,300. Increase (12%) in highway user
funds (fuel taxes) over the prior year.
Major reconstruction street projects include
the following:
• Pioneer Road/University/Other Streets
TBD (LID 53) $2,700,000
Major new street construction projects
include the following:
• East Parkway ROW/Bridge Design-7th N
to Barney (Federal Grant/DIF) $682,500
• Traffic Signal (ITD)/Street Improvements-
North Highway Ramp $100,000
• Misc. Seal Coat/Chip Sealing $230,000
Water/Wastewater Projects:
• New Well Building, Booster #10 for water
$715,000
• Sewer Headworks and Plant Upgrade
$2,650,000 (Federal dollars and reserve
funds)
• Replace Gravity Fed Sewer Line NW
side of city $6.2 million
URA (35%) and City (65%) funded projects
near 2nd East and Moody Road:
• Extended Water/Sewer Services 2nd E
• Sewer Lines back to WWTP/Oversizing
$2,281,000
• Sewer Lift Station $500,000
• Water Lines/Oversizing $150,000
Property tax revenues $6,610,000.
An increase of 8 Full-Time positions in
Water (1), Parks (1), Police (3), and Emergen-
cy Services (3). Two part time positions in
Finance and Human Resources were also
combined into 1 full-time position in July 2023.
Utility Rates to increase in water, sewer,
sanitation in October 2023. Average home to
increase 4.4% overall.
Complete Fiber Ring buildout and con-
nect city assets. Will also work with a
private company that will begin to extend
out fiber services to the residents.
A large project ($500,000) to replace,
add, and or upgrade street lights will
occur throughout the city.
A Pickle Ball Complex-Phase I
($370,000) will begin near DONJO Sports
Complex as well as substantial work on
phase I of the New Park on the Teton
River ($811,000)
Masonry/Repointing of Tabernacle
Building ($850,000)
THE CITY’S FUNDS
EXPENDITURES & REVENUES - CITYWIDE
The accounts of the City are organized into funds. A fund is a group of related accounts used to control money that has been designated by the City
Council or by State law for specific activities or objectives. About 77 percent of the City’s revenue is dedicated for a specific use. A dedicated
fund means, for example, that the City may not raise water bills to pay for Recreation Programs. This also means that, of th e City’s $81.85 million
budget, most of the flexibility in spending occurs only with the City’s $19.08 million General Fund budget.
EXPENSES
Public Works
The Public Works Departments account for 44% (35.9 million, most of which
is for capital projects) of the total budget. This budget funds 50 full-time
positions. The main tasks of Public Works include: offering safe transporta-
tion by maintaining streets and pathways; offering high-quality drinking water
by managing the water and sewer systems in the city; collecting and dispos-
ing of garbage and recycling, and overseeing various city construction pro-
jects. Public Works includes the Sanitation, Water, Wastewater Treatment
and Collections, Building Maintenance, Streets, Shop, Airport, and
Engineering Departments.
Administrative Departments
The Administrative Departments account for 8% ($6.3 million) of the total
budget. This budget funds 28 full-time positions. The administrative depart-
ments include: Mayor & Council (the Council is part-time), Customer Ser-
vice, Financial Management, Human Resources, Information Technology,
Economic Development, Legal, Geographic Information Systems, and Plan-
ning and Zoning. Fiber is also included under this category ($320,000).
General fund contingency and other miscellaneous budgeted amounts are
also included in this total budget.
Building Safety Department
The Building Safety Department accounts for about 1% ($1.1 million) of the
total budget. This budget funds 6 full-time positions. This department ser-
vices building permits and inspections.
Parks, Recreation, Golf, and Cultural Arts
These Departments account for 9% ($7.7 million) of the total budget. This
budget funds 11 full-time positions and includes some budget for construc-
tion and remodel of facilities in addition to the budgets that provide for the
maintenance and operations of the facilities and programs within these de-
partments. The tabernacle capital improvements are included ($910,000).
REVENUES
The City relies on many different revenue sources as shown below in
the Revenue Graph. We often times will have to save up for capital
projects and include that in the budget as a fund balance carryover.
This budget includes over $8.3 million in fund balance carryover in all
funds, which included $1 million to balance the City General Fund.
Property tax revenues are certified at $6.6 million for the City General
Fund. The current City property tax levy rate is still one of the lowest
for most cities in SE Idaho and other similar size cities. A portion of the
increase is coming from new construction (125,787).
Sales tax increased some over the prior year’s forecast ($171,400), but
would have likely been much higher had the State used the 2022 cen-
sus estimate numbers.
FUND TRANSFERS & SUBSIDIES
Transfers occur in the budget with an expense or revenue that moves
resources from one fund to another. For example, the Wastewater
Capital Reserve Fund will transfer money to a construction fund to do a
sewer project. Budget Fund Transfers are not a cash increase or de-
crease overall. Fund Transfers totaled about 19% ($15.2 million) of the
overall budget. Most general fund transfers are also subsidies for ser-
vices provided.
Police, Fire, and Ambulance
The Police, Fire, and Ambulance Departments account for 19% ($15.7
million) of the total budget. This budget funds 44 full-time Police offic-
ers and staff, and 29 Fire and Ambulance personnel. Madison County
Ambulance District and Madison County Fire Protection District share in
the funding of the Fire and Ambulance services with the City of
Rexburg.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
The fund where the City has the most discretion in spending is the General Fund. The major sources of funding include proper ty tax, state shared
sales tax, and administrative overhead charges to other funds. The General Fund Budget is $19.08 million, which is about 23% of the citywide
budget. Below is a more detailed look at the General Fund. All revenues are generally very limited, therefore increasing funding on one project or
department will usually require reducing funding for others.
Every year, the City reviews a Capital Improvement Plan for the next five years. Capital Improvements include any one-time expenditure over
$5,000 in the form of equipment or construction.
Major utility construction projects include $2.65 million for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Construction Fund. Also included is $6.2 million for
replacement of a gravity fed sewer line and lift station and the addition of a pressure line to provide improved collections and expand capacity for the
Northwest side of the city. The contributions for the sewer line project are still being determined and will include claw back fees to be paid by future
development and contributions from other cities that use that infrastructure as well. Revenue contributions in the budget of over $3.4 million are in-
cluded for this project. The City will also partner with the Rexburg Urban Renewal Agency (RURA) to extend water and sewer services from 2nd East
to the West of the road and back to the Treatment Plant with over $2.9 million of infrastructure funded at 35% by RURA and 65% by City Reserves.
The Airport Environmental Assessment for $300,000 is in the budget. These projects are funded approximately 90% by the FAA, up to 5% by the
State of Idaho, and the rest by the City and the County. The City is setting aside reserve funds to meet their portion of any match if a final decision to
relocate the airport is made. The City projects to have $1.07 million of reserve set aside by the end of Fiscal Year 2024.
The budget for capital improvements at the Tabernacle includes masonry/repointing of the building ($850,000) and setting aside an additional $50,000
to replace the HVAC system in the near future.
Water plans to complete construction of a new building ($350,000). Sanitation plans to finish a new shop ($575,000) and purch ase an additional gar-
bage truck. Sewer plans to complete $970,000 of sewer line replacements and extensions as well as purchase a new Aquatech Truck ($650,000).
The City plans to set aside an additional $425,000 this year in savings for a future municipal building and police station.
The City plans to complete the buildout of a fiber ring and to connect City assets and will continue to work to help provide an open access network
that will be made available to residents and businesses in Rexburg in the near future.
A Pickle Ball Complex-Phase I ($370,000) will begin near DONJO Sports Complex as well as substantial work on phase I of the new park on the Te-
ton River ($811,000).
Major reconstruction street projects include Pioneer Road/University/other streets TBD (LID 53) $2.7 million and major new street construction pro-
jects include East Parkway ROW/Bridge Design-7th N to Barney (Federal Grant/DIF) $682,500, Traffic Signal (ITD)/Street Improvements - North High-
way Ramp $100,000, and Misc. Seal Coat/Chip Sealing $230,000.
In May 2020, the City privately placed the December 2010 issued Sewer Revenue Bond at an interest rate of 1.15% (prior rate was an average of
3.2%), which will save the sewer fund approximately $309,460. The new loan will be paid off in 2025 and will continue to be paid from monthly sewer
user revenues and new construction capacity fees. The current balance owed is $1.58 million.
The City has no more outside warrants for Local Improvement Districts (LID), but has financed LID’s internally over the last few years. LID’s are a
lien on individual properties for needed improvements that have been made on or next to those properties. The City usually creates an LID each year
to support needed private improvements, such as sidewalks and curb and gutter, along a street that needs other public improve ments.
The City finalized a 30 year DEQ loan at 1.75% interest in 2022 for water improvements. The current balance owed is $7.24 million.
GENERAL FUND
DEBT SERVICE AND BONDS
PROPERTY TAX BREAKDOWN & COMPARISONS
Your property tax dollars paid to the City of Rexburg are generally dedicated to Police and Fire services. The total estimated property tax for the city
general fund is $6.61 million. The City portion of a resident’s total tax bill is typically 26%. According to the Association of Taxpayers in 2022, the
average of the total in Idaho was as follows: Cities (27.4%), Counties-including ambulance district, roads, and mosquito districts (36.0%), Schools
(27.3%), Library (1.6%), and Others (7.7%). It is important to note that the City of Rexburg has a very high percent of tax exempt properties as well.
Here are some comparisons of the 2022 levies (received in FY 2023) with other entities below.
The City charges for utilities:
water, sewer, garbage/recycling and com-
munity safety lighting. In this budget, utility
rates for an average resident home will in-
crease about 4.4% or $5.13 per month effec-
tive 10/1/2023.
If you have any questions about any of the material presented in this brochure, please call the Mayor or Chief Financial Offi cer at 208-359-3020 or
email us at finance@rexburg.org or visit us at 35 North 1st East, Rexburg, Idaho 83440.
For more information you can also visit us online at www.rexburg.org