Summertime is here.
And so is the kickoff for the budget process for the city of Anna Maria.
Commissioners reached a consensus June 8 to approve Mayor Dan Murphy’s budget plan for fiscal 2023-24, which begins Oct. 1.
The city’s $1,410,000 state appropriation request was approved June 15 when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 2500 into law.
The appropriation will fund the second phase of the city’s “Reimagining Pine Avenue” project, including improving Spring and Magnolia avenues.
The plan involves three workshops to discuss portions of a tentative budget for the new fiscal year.
The first workshop will cover the city’s capital outlay budget, including annual items, such as paving and stormwater drainage improvement projects.
It also will cover potential funding for new sail shades at the city pier and nearby playground, a dredge of Lake LaVista and a redesign of the Island Players parking lot.
The first workshop will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, ahead of a 6 p.m. commission meeting the same day.
The second workshop will cover projected revenues for fiscal 2023-24, including ad valorem taxes, federal and state grants, as well as funding from the Manatee County Tourist Development Council.
The second workshop had not been scheduled as of June 15 but was set for the week of July 13, according to the approved plan.
A third and final workshop will be held the week of July 27 and cover the city’s operating expenses, such as funding to run the administration, building, code enforcement and public works departments, as well as public safety funds for law enforcement.
The city may schedule additional workshops before a finalized budget is brought to commissioners for consideration in September.
The city also must approve a tentative millage rate — the amount per $1,000 of property value used to calculate property taxes — for the upcoming fiscal year by Aug. 4.
A finalized budget will go before city commissioners for a first public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at city hall.
Commissioners also will set a millage rate for fiscal 2023-24 at the public hearing.
A public hearing, final reading and vote on the budget are expected to take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at city hall.