City Budget | College Park, MD

To view the Adopted Fiscal Year 2020 City Budget, click here.

The City operates on a fiscal year, running from July 1 to June 30. The budget process begins in January with guidelines issued to department directors by the City Manager. Departmental requests are prepared and submitted in February. The City Manager meets with each department director to discuss their requests. Changes and revisions to the requests and revenue projections are incorporated into the Proposed Budget which is submitted to the Mayor & Council by the end of March.

The Mayor and Council hold two Saturday, day long work-sessions in March/April to review and discuss the Proposed Budget with the City Manager and directors. A budget ordinance is introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council in late April and a public hearing on that ordinance is held in early May. A budget ordinance is required by Charter to be adopted by May 31.

The basis of budgeting for all funds conforms to generally accepted accounting principles. The Budget is organized by groups of accounts known as Funds. Each Fund is considered a separate accounting entity with its own assets, liabilities, equity (fund balance), revenues and expenses.

Below is the schedule for the FY2020 budget. Schedule will be updated as necessary.

Operating Budget worksheets distributed to departments	December 20, 2018
Prepare the FY2020-FY2024 CIP (Staff input & document)	January 2019
FY20 Budget preview discussion with Mayor & Council *Review Cost/Fees Study	Tues. January 8, 2019
Mayor & Council requests for FY20 budget due	Fri. January 25, 2019
Prepare cost estimates of Mayor & Council requests Revenue projections & payroll info prepared by Finance	January - February 2019
Department budget worksheets due – returned to Finance	Fri. January 25, 2019
Review of department operating budget submittals by City Manager and Finance Director with Dept. Director	Mon. Jan 28 – Thursday February 7 (Start in January as completed)
FY20 Proposed Budget & CIP distributed to Mayor & Council and posted on City website	Fri. March 8, 2019
Worksessions on the FY2020 Proposed Budget & CIP FY2020 Budget Worksession Presentation	Saturday, March 23 @ 8 am Saturday, March 30 @ 8 am Additional worksessions if needed
FY20 Budget ordinance introduced – City Council Meeting (includes changes from budget worksessions)	Tues. April 23
Advertisement in Washington Post for Public Hearings on: FY20 Proposed Budget & CIP Constant Yield Tax Rate (if needed)	Thurs. April 25
Hold Public Hearings on (1) FY2020 Proposed Budget & CIP and (2) Constant yield tax rate (if needed)	Tues. May 14
Worksession discussion of changes to the proposed budget as a result of the Public Hearings (if needed)	Tuesday May 14 (if needed)
Adopt FY20 budget ordinance (including CIP)	Tues. May 28
Effective date of FY20 Adopted Budget FY2020 Budget in Brief Pamphlet	July 1, 2019