Building South Lake Tahoe's Budget
Where does the money come from, and where does it go? What drives the decisions to expand services or increase fees? The preparation of South Lake Tahoe's 51 million-dollar budget is a complex process.
Demystifying Budget Language
Governmental terminology is often foreign to others. Some terms used throughout this summary are:
- O & M Budget: A budget prepared for normal operating revenues and expenditures, including salaries, benefits and supplies.
- CIP Budget: A budget prepared for capital projects. These projects usually cost $100,000 or more and are non-recurring in nature. They are typically construction, facility improvements or major equipment purchases.
- General Fund: Funding provided for general government services including Police, Fire, Administration, Community Development, Parks and Recreation, etc.
- Enterprise funds: These funds support specific "enterprises" such as Airport and Transit.
- Special Revenue Funds: These funds are limited to specific uses such as grant funds and gas tax funds.
- Infrastructure: The foundation upon which the City is built. Examples are roads, water and sewer lines and public buildings.
Budget Overview - The Big Picture
The O & M and CIP budgets are tools that help the City forecast its financial future. These documents provide an estimate of one year's worth of financial activity.
Preparing the budget assists City Staff in:
- Projecting the fiscal health of the City.
- Providing guidelines for Department Management.
- Insuring adequate fiscal control.
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