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14 REPORT : BUDGET GUIDELINES Mr. O'Connell said that Council had asked that the Budget Guidelines be brought back for consideration. Mr. O'Connell said these are seen as multi - year policies and asked for Council's approval. Ms. Leslie Beauregard, Budget Manager , presented the following budget guidelines: Propose no increase to the current real estate or personal property tax rates; Develop operational budgets within projected available revenues; Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of activities; Continue t he strong commitment to education by allocating up to 40% of new City money to schools; Invest strategically in employees by providing adequate pay, benefits, training, technology resources, support and appreciation; Annually review the living wage ordinan ce so that every City contract for the provision of non - professional services will require that the contractor pay each employee assigned to perform services a living wage equal to no less than the lowest starting salary for City employees; Maintain a Gene ral Fund balance of 12% of expenditures and a policy of 60 days working capital in the utility and golf funds; Transfer end of the year General Fund balances above 12% of expenditures directly to the capital fund; Transfer any excess funds from parking fin es above the amount budgeted in the General Fund to the Capital Fund for future parking projects; Continue the philosophy of gainsharing and maintain a policy of encouraging competition and privatization; Transfer budgeted interest income amounts above $50 0,000 from the General Fund to the Capital Fund (only budgeted $300,000 this year); Conduct an agency review jointly with Albemarle County, the Commission on Children and Families, and the United Way to scrutinize agency requests for program congruence wit h Council’s priority areas; Transfer a sum of not less than 3% of General Fund expenditures to the Capital Fund; Do not replace lost state revenues with local revenues; Transfer 1 cent of the meals tax to the Capital Fund; and Stabilize all Non - General Fun d funds by ensuring they have a positive fund balance. Ms. Beauregard said that only the last guideline is new this year. Mr. Cox said that advisory groups such a the Housing Policy Task Force, Arts Task Force, and Jefferson School Task Force may have budgetary recommendations, and he hopes we do not have to scavenge for funds for this. Mr. O'Connell said he understands, but said that the timing of their recommendations will be the dilemma. Mr. Cox said he hopes some flexibility can be built into t he budget. Mr. Caravati said there will also be multi - year programs and we should not over burden funding in the first year. Mr. Caravati said that while Council will try not to replace State funds with local funds, it may not be possible to avoid doing this. Mr. Caravati asked if there is a cost estimate for the new last guideline, and Ms. Beauregard said no. Ms. Richards said the goal of the Arts Task Force had been to report out by the end of December, but she said she does not think that will happ en. Mr. Cox said he would be interested in looking at the tax rates and services for counties adjacent to the cities listed in the report. Mr. Caravati said communities with jails should be included in the matrix. On motion by Ms. Richards, seconded by Mr. Caravati, the budget guidelines, as presented by Ms. Beauregard, were approved by the following vote. Ayes: Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Richards. Noes: Mr. Schilling. REPORT : STORM WATER UTILITIES Ms. Judith Mueller, Director of Pub lic Works, explained that the City is faced with having to comply with a number of issues relating to water quality including a new VPDES stormwater discharge permit, and having to address drainage problems and implementing projects to protect the environ mental, all with existing funding sources. Ms. Mueller