Summary
PICA’s Staff Report on the City’s Quarterly City Managers Report (“QCMR”) for fiscal yearend 2017 shows a General Fund year-end balance estimated at $88.6 million, $48.3 million higher than the initial FY2017-2021 Five Year Financial Plan (“Plan”). The report also shows General Fund revenue estimated at $4.14 billion for the fiscal year, an increase of $6.4 million from the Plan. Tax revenue is estimated to be $23.2 million below Plan projections. This decline is offset by higher than projected locally generated non-tax revenue ($17.8 million) and revenue from other governments ($11.9 million). The higher than projected net revenue is offset by General Fund obligations, estimated at $4.22 billion for the fiscal year, an increase of $34.6 million from the Plan. The increase is largely attributable to a $28.8 million increase in employee benefits costs, particularly in the health/medical and pension categories. PICA’s Staff Report also identifies key management issues and tracks departmental performance for several City departments: · Labor: The end of the fiscal year marked the expiration of several union contracts. In August 2017, an arbitration panel issued an award for the Fraternal Order of Police (“FOP”) covering the period FY2017 through FY2020. This award will require the City to submit a revised FY2018-FY2022 Five Year Financial Plan for consideration by the PICA Board. · Police: Homicide totals increased in FY2017 compared to the same period last fiscal year; additionally, the homicide clearance rate (homicide cases in which an arrest is made) has declined from a high of 73 percent in FY2013 to the current rate of 36.8 percent. · Human Services: 98 percent of Child Protective Services investigations were determined within 60 days in FY2017, exceeding the Department’s set target of 95 percent. · Office of Homeless Services: Households receiving financial assistance to prevent homelessness decreased considerably in FY2017 as compared FY2016 – the result of a delay in the receipt of block grant funding to support such efforts.