Budget team removes 'future forecast tracker' from working worksheet to limit ad hoc additions

The Budget Evaluation Team voted to remove the future-forecast tracker section from its working BET worksheet and required that no additional items be added without the BET’s express consent by majority vote.

Supporters of the motion argued the forecast tracker — which contains multi‑year placeholders and potential future costs — was confusing when used alongside current-year estimated needs and risked allowing individual members or offices to alter a shared working document without group approval. One member said it was fine to keep the tracker as a separate document but not to append it to the worksheet used to finalize current estimated needs.

Opponents did not block the motion but raised concerns that some future projects may need visibility when members are making decisions. The motion passed on a voice vote; staff will maintain the forecast tracker separately and will only incorporate items into the BET worksheet if the BET votes to do so.

The decision aims to reduce inadvertent conflation of long-term placeholders (for example, FY28–29 items) with the immediate FY26–27 estimated needs the BET is finalizing. Finance staff were directed to continue outreach to departments to confirm whether individual items on the tracker should instead appear in departmental estimated needs.