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Mount Vernon council president urges charter changes to clarify budget process
Summary
Council President Danielle Brown asked the Charter Revision Review Commission to revise Mount Vernon’s charter so a single official prepares the initial budget, add clearer timelines and create more opportunities for community input after years of late adoptions and unclear procedures.
Council President Danielle Brown told the Mount Vernon Charter Revision Review Commission on Jan. 8 that the city should revise its charter to assign initial responsibility for preparing the annual budget to a single official, tighten timelines and expand community input.
Brown told commissioners she reviewed neighboring municipalities and found that, where a Board of Estimate exists, many cities designate one person — a city manager, budget director or mayor — to prepare the initial draft. “The initial responsibility of the preparation of the budget should come from an individual,” Brown said, adding that the lone preparer is not the only person to see the draft but provides a clear starting point for the process.
Why it matters: Brown and other commissioners said the current charter’s language leaves gaps about who prepares the budget, what happens if the council rejects a proposed budget, and which line items council may change. Brown said the…
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