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City of Tigard Issues Proposed Budget

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	City of Tigard 13125 SW Hall Blvd. Tigard, Oregon 97223	Press Release April 8, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact:	Toby LaFrance Finance and Information Services Director City of Tigard 503-718-2406 toby@tigard-or.gov

City of Tigard Issues Proposed Budget
On Friday April 8, 2011 the City of Tigard issued its Fiscal Year 2011-12 Proposed Budget. In the budget proposed by the City Manager to the citizen Budget Committee, Tigard's operating budget will increase by 4.3 percent, from $47.1 million to $49.1 million. "This is a hold-the-line budget," stated City Manager Craig Prosser.

"A hold-the-line budget means that the number of staff in the General Fund and most other areas remains the same. Hold-the-line does not mean that the cost of those staff is the same" explained Prosser. "The Proposed Budget honors Tigard's labor agreement with SEIU and the cost increases that agreement requires. Additionally, a hold-the-line budget means that material, service and equipment costs remain the same with a couple of targeted exceptions."

The proposed 1.7 new positions are in two targeted areas and represent only a 0.6 percent increase in city staffing. The first area is in Building where a modest increase in fee supported work will be addressed. The second targeted area is in Utility Billing where the staff will replace a contract service at no additional cost.

In the Budget Message, Prosser highlights Tigard's history of conservative financial management. Since 2008, staffing has been reduced seven percent. Over ten years ago, Tigard employees were among the first in the Portland metro area to share in the cost of their health and dental benefits. With the exception of Police, no Tigard employees are covered by PERS. All of these actions reduce the overall cost of personnel.

The Proposed Budget includes the five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). With several large transportation projects wrapping up, the CIP in the proposed budget moves Tigard's focus to Parks where the voters approved a $17 million bond and water where Tigard is securing its own water source through a partnership with Lake Oswego. The LO / Tigard partnership will require the issuance of $44 million in revenue bonds during the next fiscal year. The total budget includes capital expenditures and fund balances. Due to these components the total budget will increase from $110 million to $173 million.

Also released today is the FY 2011-12 Budget for the City Center Development Agency (CCDA). The CCDA is Tigard's Urban Renewal District in Downtown Tigard.

The Budget Committee will consider the proposed budget at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 18, April 25 and May 2, if needed, in the Public Works Auditorium (8777 SW Burnham Street, Tigard, OR 97223). Meetings are open to the public. The proposed budget has been posted on line.