Mayor's recommended budget funds new hires, restores reserves; council presses for details on judgments, revenues and wish list

The Metro Nashville Council Budget & Finance Committee heard a presentation from the Office of Management and Budget on the mayor's recommended budget and then questioned finance staff on revenue, reserves and contingency funds.

The office of management and budget laid out the budget timeline, what is included in the mayor's recommended budget and structural constraints the administration considered. Budget Officer Aaron Pratt said the recommended budget includes full staffing for the ninth precinct, funding for a school security initiative, hiring 41 firefighters and 49 EMS roles, funding for 135 school nurses and new staff for several public-works and service programs. ‘‘This budget we put together this year for the mayor's recommended budget is a good budget,’’ Pratt said.

The presentation matters because the mayor's recommended budget sets the starting point for council's substitute budget and affects tax rates, reserves and service levels.

Most of the committee's questions focused on revenue assumptions, fund-balance policy and risk management. Council members asked for detailed historical and actuarial backup for the judgments and losses account and for the calculations behind the 4%…