Department of Finance (cont.)

Section 5.13. Appropriations

From the effective date of the budget, the several amounts stated therein as proposed expenditures shall be and become appropriated to the several offices, departments or agencies for the various functions and activities specified in the budget.

Section 5.14. Expenditures limited to budget

All allowable claims against the city shall be approved for payment by the department or agency head and by the director of finance. The city manager shall establish procedures for verification and oversight of such expenditures. Any such official who shall approve any claim for payment of which there is not a sufficient unencumbered balance in the fund or appropriation, or which is in any way contrary to the provisions of this Charter, or law, or ordinance, shall be personally liable and liable on his bond for the amount thereof, and may be removed from office.
Approved by vote of the people April 3, 1984.

Section 5.15. Contracts

No contract or order purporting to impose any financial obligation on the city shall be executed, nor shall the same be valid and binding upon the city, unless it be in writing, and unless the director of finance shall first certify in writing thereon that such contract or order is within the purpose of the appropriation to which it is to be charged and that there is an unencumbered balance to the credit of such appropriation sufficient to pay therefor.

Section 5.16. Tax rates and tax rolls

The City Council shall by ordinance set the tax rates and levy on the various classes of property as assessed by the director of finance, and the levy so established shall be certified by the city clerk to the director of finance, who shall compute the taxes and extend the same upon the tax rolls.

Section 5.17. Transfer of unexpended appropriations

The city manager, with the approval of the council and upon the recommendation of a department or agency head, may transfer any unencumbered appropriation balance or portion thereof from one classification of expenditure to another within an office, department or agency. At the request of the city manager, and within the last three months of the fiscal year, the council may by resolution transfer any unencumbered appropriation balance or portion thereof from one office, department or agency to another unless otherwise provided in this Charter. No transfer shall be made of specified fixed appropriations.

Section 5.18. General provisions

(1) No contract for the acquisition of any property or the construction of any improvement which is to be financed by bonds shall be executed until the issuance of such bonds shall have been duly authorized.

(2) The council upon recommendation of the city manager may make emergency appropriations to meet the pressing need for public expenditures for other than a regular or recurring requirement to protect the public health, safety or welfare. The total amount of all emergency appropriations made in any fiscal year shall not exceed five per cent of the total operating appropriation made in the budget for that year.

(3) In any fiscal year, the council may issue and sell bonds or notes payable within one year in any amount not to exceed fifty per cent of the revenues remaining to be collected and applied to the appropriations budgeted for that year, excluding revenues from municipally owned utilities not allocated for general revenue purposes. Any money so borrowed shall be repaid out of said revenues when collected.

(4) All fees, charges and commission for city services, and all money in the form of rentals, payments for concessions, or other charges for the use or occupancy of city property received by any officer or employee, and all interest on public deposits shall belong to the city government, shall be regularly accounted for, and shall be paid into the city treasury under such regulations as may be prescribed by the director of finance unless otherwise provided in this Charter.

(5) All appropriations shall lapse at the end of the budget year to the extent that they shall not have been expended or lawfully encumbered except as otherwise provided by this Charter or by ordinance.