Municipal fiscal year expenditure limit set at $2.1 billion
By Terrance Thornton
Digital Free Press
Scottsdale City Council has named City Treasurer Sonia Andrews its chief fiscal officer as earlier this month the local governing board approved and sent along its current fiscal year expenditure limitation to the Arizona Auditor General.
A municipality’s expenditure limitation, in this case for the city of Scottsdale, is a spending cap based on local voter control to restrict the growth of government revenues and limitations to spending tax dollars. Scottsdale City Council approved Ms. Andrews as the governing body’s CFO at its May 17 regular meeting at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
“Arizona Revised Statutes 41-1279.07(E) requires that the governing body of each county, city, town, and community college district annually provide to the [Arizona] Auditor General by July 31 the name of the chief fiscal officer the governing body has designated to officially submit the current year’s annual expenditure limitation report on the governing body’s behalf,” explained Anna Henthorn, Scottsdale accounting director, in her report to City Council.
“The statute also requires that the governing body notify the Auditor General of any changes of individuals designated to file the required reports that occur midyear, which requires an updated, signed resolution.”
According to Scottsdale Budget Director, Judy Doyle, in her City Council report on the recently adopted municipal tentative budget — the expenditure limitation for the upcoming fiscal year is $2.1 billion.
Arizona Auditor General
The Arizona Auditor General, guided by state law, is an independent source of impartial information concerning governmental entities here in Arizona. To fulfill its statutory duties, officials there report the office provides the following services:
- Ascertain whether public entities are making wise use of their resources—public money, personnel, property, equipment, and space.
- Determine whether public entities are complying with applicable laws, regulations, and governmental accounting and financial and reporting standards.
- Define standards and establish procedures for accounting and budgeting, as the Legislature requires.
- Provide technical assistance to State and local governmental entities
Ms. Henthorn offers the details of municipal procedure behind the appointment of Ms. Andrews as the city’s chief fiscal officer.
“The Auditor General provides a resolution template for cities, towns, counties, and community college district governing bodies to use to satisfy this obligation,” she said.
“City Council must adopt this resolution annually and when any changes occur midyear, designating the CFO to submit that fiscal year’s AELR. The signed resolution must then be submitted to the Auditor General’s Office.”
