This is always a bone of contention. Even in a small jurisdiction, the answer to this quesiton can take many forms. For instance, back when I was writing my column, my benchmark was always “What was the increase in the general fund?” Having spent some time on the “inside” now, I see how simplistic this approach is. See the general fund doesn’t reflect just local tax money. There is also state and federal money stirred into that pot. This year’s increase has been reported as being in excess of 11%. This isn’t entirely accurate as the following chart (from our budget presentation) shows:
See that 6.8% increase in “School Debt Service”? That, as I understand it, is a new accounting requirement. School debt service is actually paid by the City but the schools give us the money for it. If you take that out, things start to look a little more reasonable.
As a final note, I don’t post this in my own defense. Just as information and to head off the inevitable (and reasonable) question: “where does all that money go”? 4% growth in the budget is pretty easy to defend if you are going to give employees raises, hire some more police and buy a new ambulance.
April 15, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Andy,
This isn’t meant as a criticism, by why does it matter where the School Debt funds come from? While the schools may be paying it, didn’t you give the schools their money in the first place? Either way, the money is still coming from Manassas taxpayers. I understand adjusting the numbers for state and federal money, but the schools are still part of Manassas. What am I missing here?
April 15, 2007 at 5:05 pm
The general fund contributes about half of the money used to pay for the schools so not all the money comes from the Manassas taxpayer.
Does it matter? You bet. People should be able to do an apples-to-apples comparison and without that information, you can’t do it on a year over year basis.
April 16, 2007 at 7:30 pm
If you have to apologize for anything, it’s that you cave into the knuckledraggers almost instinctively. As a city with a decaying housing stock and mediocre infrastructure (across all categories of infrastructure) and mediocre schools, Manassas needs much much more investment. If you consider yourself reasonable, rational and moderate, then you need to start reaching out to the same kind of people. This blog is, generally, representative of the tyranny of the poor and selfish that now darkens Manassas.
April 16, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Mr Hall, 3 things:
1. This bit isn’t an apology, it’s an explanation.
2. This problem didn’t occur overnight, nor will it be solved in such a manner. Good and effective governance requires consensus and that doesn’t happen overnight. If that makes me a knuckledragger, then so be it.
3. In local gov’t one group holds sway over the other only because one group isn’t involved.
April 17, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Well said. You are right.
April 17, 2007 at 9:05 pm
One other thing… thank you for engaging. You could have just deleted my post.
April 17, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Mr. Hall:
First of all, thanks. Second, you can call me pretty much whatever you want as long as it isn’t dirty…:) I need input to do a better job and while we may disagree about some things, all input is good.
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