In every city or town a budget message prepared by or under the direction of the city’s or town’s chief administrative officer shall be submitted as a part of the preliminary budget to the city’s or town’s legislative body at least sixty days before the beginning of the city’s or town’s next fiscal year and shall contain the following:

Terms Used In Washington Code 35.33.057

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Chief administrative officer: as used in this chapter includes the mayor of cities or towns having a mayor-council form of government, the commissioners in cities or towns having a commission form of government, the city manager, or any other city or town official designated by the charter or ordinances of such city or town under the plan of government governing the same, or the budget or finance officer designated by the mayor, manager or commissioners, to perform the functions, or portions thereof, contemplated by this chapter. See Washington Code 35.33.011
  • Department: as used in this chapter includes each office, division, service, system or institution of the city or town for which no other statutory or charter provision is made for budgeting and accounting procedures or controls. See Washington Code 35.33.011
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Fiscal year: as used in this chapter means that fiscal period set by the city or town pursuant to authority given under RCW 1. See Washington Code 35.33.011
  • Legislative body: as used in this chapter includes council, commission or any other group of officials serving as the legislative body of a city or town. See Washington Code 35.33.011
(1) An explanation of the budget document;
(2) An outline of the recommended financial policies and programs of the city for the ensuing fiscal year;
(3) A statement of the relation of the recommended appropriation to such policies and programs;
(4) A statement of the reason for salient changes from the previous year in appropriation and revenue items;
(5) An explanation for any recommended major changes in financial policy.
Prior to the final hearing on the budget, the legislative body or a committee thereof, shall schedule hearings on the budget or parts thereof, and may require the presence of department heads to give information regarding estimates and programs.