Politics & Government
Where is Accounting for the Millions Generated from Public Safety Millage?
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Patch reader Bill writes: "I have a burning question. Where is the accounting for the millions of dollars that went into the general fund for public safety after the public safety millage was passed?"
To answer Bill's question, Patch asked City Manager Don Johnson for a response. Here is what he said:
Go to http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/portal/webfm_send/2854. That link will take you to the 2012-13 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report on the city web site. The public safety fund is starts on page 39 of the document (which is page 49 of the .pdf file).
The public safety fund was created following the 2012 election. It is what is called a "special revenue fund." Special revenue funds are used to account for activities that have a restricted revenue source. "Restricted" means it can only be used for specific purposes. The public safety tax levy can only be used for public safety expenditures. We also use special revenue funds to account for the library, solid waste, community development block grant, major streets, local streets and several other activities that have a specific restricted revenue source.
All money from the public safety tax levy and all revenue from public safety activities are accounted for in this fund now as are all police, fire and emergency medical services expenditures. In 2012-13, this fund received $7,172,424 from the public safety tax levy, $2,639,640 of various other revenue and we transferred $16,223,710 to it from the general fund. That transfer represented all but $300,591 of the general operating tax levy.
To answer Bill's question, Patch asked City Manager Don Johnson for a response. Here is what he said:
Go to http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/portal/webfm_send/2854. That link will take you to the 2012-13 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report on the city web site. The public safety fund is starts on page 39 of the document (which is page 49 of the .pdf file).
The public safety fund was created following the 2012 election. It is what is called a "special revenue fund." Special revenue funds are used to account for activities that have a restricted revenue source. "Restricted" means it can only be used for specific purposes. The public safety tax levy can only be used for public safety expenditures. We also use special revenue funds to account for the library, solid waste, community development block grant, major streets, local streets and several other activities that have a specific restricted revenue source.
All money from the public safety tax levy and all revenue from public safety activities are accounted for in this fund now as are all police, fire and emergency medical services expenditures. In 2012-13, this fund received $7,172,424 from the public safety tax levy, $2,639,640 of various other revenue and we transferred $16,223,710 to it from the general fund. That transfer represented all but $300,591 of the general operating tax levy.
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