Assembly Finance briefed on budget proposals

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Thursday, April 8th, 2021 7:55am

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Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Juneau Assembly Finance Committee started its budget work on Wednesday

Jeff Rogers, Finance Director for the CBJ, talked about how federal stimulus dollars could help balance FY21.  "So effectively, we have a $4.6 million deficit in the current year that is being fully covered by the American Rescue Plan Act in the manager's proposal and that is something the Assembly will continue to make a decision about."

And that can help reduce the deficit for next year, he said.  "The resulting deficit would be about $16 Million.  So without use of the American Rescue Plan Act funds. the deficit would be $16 million.  With use of them, we drop it down to $7.8 million which we think is better than we might have anticipated."

City manager Rorie Watt gave a hopeful outlook for next year.  "Our revenue forecasts are not looking like a normal year, but fortunately this year we are going to be buoyed by approximately $12.8 million from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan which will greatly ease our decision making."  He added that that's not to say it will be a slam dunk, but the position the local government finds itself in with nearly $13 million to the better makes for a substantially different budget season.

Watt's plan includes a point 20 mill rate increase to cover the cost of CBJ's child care program.

The Assembly Finance is scheduled to meet again on April 14.  CBJ code calls for the budget work to be finalized by June 15.

 

 

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