ARTICLE V
BUDGET, TAXATION, AND FISCAL AFFAIRS
Section
V-2 Budget—preparation and submission
V-4 Budget—amendment, adoption, and appropriations
V-5 Budget—funds other than the general fund
V-6 Transfer of appropriation balances
V-8 Taxation—assessment, levy, and collection of property taxes—exemptions
V-10 Taxation—assessment—equalization
V-11 Taxation—lien on real property
V-12 Taxation—protection of lien on real property
V-13 Taxation—protection of lien on personal property
V-14 Disbursements—authority—method
V-15 Deposit and investment of funds
V-20 Repealed
V-1 Fiscal year
The fiscal year of the city government shall begin on the first day of July and shall end on the last day of June, unless otherwise provided by ordinance.
V-2 Budget—preparation and submission
At least three weeks before the beginning of the fiscal year, the city manager shall prepare and submit to the council a proposed budget for the next fiscal year which shall contain detailed estimates of anticipated revenues and proposed expenditures for the year. The total of such proposed expenditures shall not exceed the total of such anticipated revenues. The budget shall be in such form and have such contents as the council may require. The budget and any budget message accompanying it shall be a public record in the office of the city clerk, and shall be open to public inspection. Sufficient copies of the budget and any budget message shall be made for distribution to persons on request.
V-3 Budget—public hearing
The council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at least one week after a notice of the time of the hearing has been published; and any interested person shall have an opportunity to be heard thereat for or against the estimates or any item thereof. The council may continue the hearing at later meetings.
V-4 Budget—amendment, adoption, and appropriations
The council may insert, strike out, increase, or decrease items in the budget, and may otherwise amend it. The council, by vote of at least a majority of its members, not later than the third day before the beginning of the fiscal year, shall adopt the budget and make the appropriations for the next fiscal year. If the council fails to adopt the budget and make the appropriations on or before that day, the budget, as submitted or amended, as the case may be, shall go into effect and be deemed to have been finally adopted by the council; and the proposed expenditures therein shall become the appropriations for the next fiscal year. The appropriations, when made by the council by resolution or ordinance separate from the budget document, need not be in as great detail as the proposed expenditures in the budget; but appropriations shall never exceed the anticipated revenues in the budget.
V-5 Budget—funds other than the general fund
The budget herein provided for shall include the general fund, and may also include other funds but in separate estimates. Budgets for other funds which are deemed to require formal budgeting, may also be prepared, considered, and adopted separately from the budget of the general fund.
V-6 Transfer of appropriation balances
The council, by motion, resolution, or ordinance passed by vote of a majority of all its members, may transfer unencumbered appropriation balances or parts thereof from any item of appropriation to any other item of appropriation, including new items, whether or not such other items are within the same department, office, or agency.
V-7 Taxation—powers
The City shall have all powers of taxation which home-rule cities may have under the State constitution and law.
V-8 Taxation—assessment, levy, and collection of property taxes—exemption
The council, by ordinance, shall provide for the annual assessment, levy, and collection of taxes on property. No exemptions from taxation except those expressly provided by law or ordinance shall be allowed.
V-9 Taxation—private leaseholds, etc., in property owned or held by the United States, the State, or its political subdivisions
Private leaseholds, contracts, or interests in land or property owned or held by the United States, the State of Alaska, or its political subdivisions, shall be taxable to the extent of the interests.
V-10 Taxation—assessment—equalization
The taxable status of property shall be determined as of the first day of January or such other date as may hereafter be prescribed by law or ordinance, which is called the assessment day. Values on the assessment rolls shall be determined according to the facts existing on the assessment day for the year for which the assessment is made, and no change in the status of property after that day shall be considered in determining its value. In determining such values, any standards of appraisal established by law or ordinance shall be followed. The council shall equalize valuations of property assessed; provided, that the council, by ordinance, may delegate this power to a board created by ordinance when not prohibited by law.
V-11 Taxation—lien on real property
The City shall have a first lien on all real property against which city taxes are assessed, for the taxes and any collection charges, penalties, and interest which may accumulate thereto; and the lien shall continue until the taxes and any such charges, penalties, and interest are paid.
V-12 Taxation—protection of lien on real property
The City may protect its lien for taxes on real property by sale at tax sale or by purchasing the real property at any tax sale or other public sale or by direct negotiations with the owner, or in any other legal manner. Any such procedure shall be deemed to be for a public purpose. When the City has acquired an interest in real property to protect a tax lien thereon the owner of any interest in such real property may redeem the same by paying the delinquent city taxes and all accrued charges, penalties, and interest thereon, as provided by law or ordinance. After the City has held any tax-delinquent real property for two years, it may hold the same for public use or sell it at public auction to the highest bidder; provided, that if the City sells such property before it uses the property for public purposes, other provisions of this charter relating to the sale of property shall not apply to such sales.
V-13 Taxation—protection of lien on personal property
City taxes on personal property shall be a debt to the City from the persons to whom they are assessed. If any person to whom such taxes are assessed fails or refuses to pay the taxes, such taxes, and accrued charges, penalties, and interest may be collected by a personal action in the name of the City against the person to whom assessed in a court of competent jurisdiction, or by distraint and sale of any personal property of the person assessed. Neither of the remedies herein given shall be exclusive of the other or of any remedy provided by law.
V-14 Disbursements—authority—method
Disbursements of city funds shall be made only in accordance with appropriations made as provided in this charter, or, in case of funds which are not formally appropriated, then by authority granted by the council or by the qualified voters of the City. The council shall prescribe the method or methods of disbursing city funds.
V-15 Deposit and investment of funds
The council shall regulate the deposit and investment of city funds, and shall determine what funds of the City may be invested. City funds may be invested only in the following: general-obligation bonds and other general-obligation evidences of indebtedness of the United States, of the State of Alaska, of other states of the United States, of this City, of other cities of this State, and of boroughs of this State; and such other securities as may be authorized by law.
V-16 Purchases and sales
The city manager, subject to any regulations which the council may prescribe, shall contract for and purchase or issue purchase authorizations for all supplies, materials, and equipment for the offices, departments, and agencies of the city government. Every such contract or purchase exceeding an amount to be established by ordinance shall require the prior approval of the council. The city manager also may transfer to or between offices, departments, and agencies, or sell surplus or obsolete supplies, materials, and equipment subject to such regulations as the council may prescribe.
Before the purchase of, or contract for, any supplies, materials, or equipment, or the sale of any surplus or obsolete supplies, materials, or equipment, ample opportunity for competitive bidding, under such regulations and with such exceptions as the council may prescribe, shall be given; but the council shall not except a particular contract, purchase, or sale from the requirement of competitive bidding.
The council, by ordinance, may transfer some or all of the power granted to the city manager by this section to an administrative officer appointed by the city manager.
V-17 Contracts and sales
Any contract which by its terms will not be fully executed within five years and which cannot be terminated by the City upon not more than one month’s notice without penalty; and the sale or lease of any city property, real or personal, or the sale or other disposal of any interest therein, the value of which property, lease, or interest is more than $30,000, shall be made only:
(1) By authority of an ordinance approved or enacted at an election by an affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified voters of the City who vote on the question of approving or enacting the ordinance (the ordinance being submitted to the voters by the council or by initiative of the voters); or
(2) By authority of a non-emergency ordinance passed by the council, which shall be published in full within ten days after its passage, and which shall include a section reading substantially as follows:
Section ___. If one or more referendum petitions with signatures are properly filed within one month after the passage and publication of this ordinance, this ordinance shall not go into effect until the petition or petitions are finally found to be illegal and/or insufficient, or, if any such petition is found legal and sufficient, until the ordinance is approved at an election by a majority of the qualified voters voting on the question. If no referendum petition with signatures is filed, this ordinance shall go into effect one month after its passage and publication.
An entire public utility belonging to the City may be sold or leased only by authority of an ordinance approved or enacted as provided in subsection (1) of this section.
V-18 Public improvements
Public improvements, including local improvements, may be made by the city government itself or by contract. The council shall award all contracts for such improvements; provided that the council may authorize the city manager to award such contracts not exceeding an amount to be determined by the council and subject to such regulations as the council may prescribe. Every contract for public improvements of more than $30,000 shall be awarded to the lowest and best responsible bidder after such notice and opportunity for competitive bidding as the council may prescribe. All bids may be rejected and further notice and opportunity for competitive bidding may be given.
V-19 Personal interest
Neither the mayor, any councilmember, nor the city manager shall sell or barter anything to the City or to a contractor supplying the City; or purchase anything from the City other than those things which the City offers generally to the public (for example, utility services), and then only on the same terms as are offered to the public; unless an invitation to submit sealed bids is published and the City accepts the sealed bid which is most advantageous to the City; provided that such sale, contract, or purchase of not more than $500 in value may be made without bids at prices or rates prevailing in the community and without discrimination. Any such officer violating this section, upon conviction thereof, shall thereby forfeit the person’s office. Any violation of this section with the knowledge, express or implied, of the person or corporation contracting with the City shall render the contract voidable by the city manager or the council.
V-20 Claims for injuries
Repealed by Ord. 780, effective November 9, 1985; election held October 7, 1986; repeal ratified October 14, 1986.
V-21 Independent annual audit
The council shall designate a certified public accountant or accountants who shall make an independent audit of the accounts and evidences of financial transactions of the finance department and of all other departments, offices, and agencies keeping separate or subordinate accounts or making, financial transactions as of the end of every fiscal year, at least, and who shall report to the council and to the city manager within four months. In lieu of the above, the council may arrange with an appropriate state authority for such an audit when and if permitted by law.