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Department of Revenue guidance gives mayor discretion over MGM community development fund; councilors raise concerns about transparency
Summary
Finance staff briefed the committee that Department of Revenue guidance (Dec. 2023) treats MGM community development funds as mayoral discretionary appropriations; councilors voiced concern that large sums have been directed to downtown projects and said they were not notified in advance.
Kathy Jarrett of the finance team told the Finance Committee on Jan. 27 that Department of Revenue guidance issued in December 2023 changed how the city may use payments from MGM’s community development fund, and that the guidance places appropriation authority with the mayor.
“That money is now, is the considered the mayor's money. He makes all the decisions on this money,” Jarrett said. She told the committee the city has received $15,000,000 into the MGM Community Development Fund to date and that about $6,000,000 remained unallocated at the time of the meeting.
Councilors reacted strongly to examples of recent uses and to the process. One councilor said roughly $7.9 million had been spent on the Court…
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