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Bureau budget staff report strong fund reserves but warn FisCal reporting limits temporarily obscure full figures
Summary
Budget analysts briefed the advisory council on revenues, reserves and FisCal reporting limitations; the bureau holds several months of reserves across programs and staff said they will continue manual reconciliations until system reporting improves.
Budget staff told the advisory council the bureau’s special‑fund operations are in a healthy position but that state accounting system limitations (FisCal) currently constrain automated reporting. Paul McDermott, the bureau’s budget analyst, and Robert Dela Estreus (bureau budget manager) presented a three‑year average projection and year‑to‑date extractions while DCA resolves FisCal data issues.
Summary of fund positions. Using manual extracts and a three‑year averaging approach to compensate for incomplete system pulls, staff reported the following rough fund conditions: the electronic/appliance repair program (BEAR) was approximately 23 percent spent year‑to‑date with estimated reverted savings around $310,000; the home furnishings/thermal program (HEFTY) showed similar year‑to‑date spending and an estimated reverted savings near $100,000; and the household movers fund showed incomplete year‑to‑date extraction but staff said reserves are healthy and expected to rise as licensing and permit activity continues. Cumulatively, staff reported the bureau had reserves measured in months of operating funds (examples cited: about 14 months for one fund and about 7 months for another program in the examples given), and reminded the council that by law a bureau cannot retain more than 24 months in reserve.
Reporting limitations and next steps. Budget staff said the FisCal rollout has limited their ability to pull timely, detailed reports; as a workaround they used historical averages and manual extracts. They promised more formal numbers after the governor’s budget release (January 10) and committed to providing updated fund condition reports to the council. Staff also said fines and citation revenues are recorded and contribute to bureau enforcement funding but that formatted summaries are not routinely provided in advisory packets (they can be produced on request).
Why this matters: bureau reserves and accurate reporting determine staff capacity, enforcement operations and the ability to use funds for program improvements. Council members asked for clarification about how reserves are used and were told reserves are bureau cash balances held to support ongoing operations and not transferred to the general fund; staff noted law limits reserves to no more than 24 months and said the budget office typically monitors for a three‑month operating floor before raising concerns.
Next steps: budget staff will provide updated numbers once FisCal reporting improves and will continue to provide manual extracts in the interim. The bureau will work with council leadership on options if any fund approaches the 24‑month threshold.
