Charter Amendment Would Change Metro Budget Process

One of the proposed changes to Metro’s governing document on the November 7th ballot, would require the Mayor to deliver the Davidson County budget to Metro Council members two months earlier.

The budget is usually handed over to Council on the 25th of May. Councilman Buck Dozier says that leaves council members only a month to discuss and vote on the city’s 1-point-5 billion dollar budget. He says the budget was only about 40 pages in 1963.

“It’s now only about 1,000 pages when you add supplemental materials. And for the council to only have about a two week period to look at all of that and as responsive as we are to citizens, we need more time to do that.”

The charter amendment would require the budget to be delivered no later than March 25th. The Mayor’s office has resisted the change. Finance Director David Manning says revenue projections aren’t ready that early.

“The real concern has to do with revenue estimates and knowing what the state will provide, particularly for schools. That typically does not occur until April or May.”

There are 5 other proposed amendments to Metro’s charter on the ballot. Early voting for the November 7th election ends today.