Playing with numbers - it's no game

BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING 

TONIGHT   
May 8, 6:00 PM, City Hall

The Citizens' Budget Committee will meet tonight to discuss the Proposed Capital Improvement Plan list for 2014-15.  These are major expenses, and depending upon which ones are done, may or may not significantly change the way Lake Oswego looks and functions in the future.  Some projects are absolutely necessary, others can be questionable, and still others are crying for attention that did not make the cut.

What projects are you interested in seeing go forward?

In the unfunded portion of the Pathways section, Lake Oswego carries the cost for Regional trails.  In the unfunded Streets section, several projects are for the Foothills development but bear no mention of the source.  They come from the Foothills (Development) Framework Plan and have no purpose as yet, and may or may not be in a development agreement if and when the development is built.  Unfunded projects are built if and when funds become available - in this case, by the party stated in the agreement.

I believe that keeping existing infrastructure in good repair is the City's first priority.  Then comes street improvements relating to safety.  Finally, new infrastructure - only if citizens want it and want to pay for it.  That is one reason why General Obligation bonds are superior to Urban Renewal taxing - with the former, the citizens get to choose.

Check out the Budget Committee Interactive Agenda to see documents for each agenda item.
The meeting will be televised live on Tualatin Valley Cable TV (Ch. 23, 28, or 30) and available on video afterwords.  You can also watch meetings live via live streaming video. Visit:http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/boc/streaming-media. 

1. Roll Call
   
2. Approval of Budget Committee meeting prior minutes
   
3. Public Comment City Budget ‐ 3 minutes each (total duration 15 minutes)
   
4. Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
   
5. Debt Policy discussion
   
6. City Proposed Budget
   
   •   Add/withdraw Puts/Takes
     
   •   Deliberations on Puts/Takes
     
   •   Recommendations
     
7. Public Comment (3 minutes each)
   
8. Approve City Budget and Property Tax Rate
   
9. Adjournment – City Budget Committee Meeting