Pass: 12,596 / 82.09% Yes votes ...... 2,749 / 17.91% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

     NO

Sunnyvale Charter Section 1302 now provides that the City Manager submits a budget to the City Council annually.

The proposed Charter amendment will require that the City Manager's annual budget submission be a balanced 10-year budget, include at least 10 years of long-range financial planning and comply with the General Plan's fiscal element. The City Manager's budget submitted to the Council will also be required to show planned City expenses and revenue and how they relate to the services provided to the community. The budget will also be required to have graphs and charts to assist in understanding the budget and to provide measures to assist in evaluating financial efficiency and effectiveness.

Sunnyvale Charter Section 1305 now provides that all budget appropriations will be taken away and must be re-authorized at the end of each fiscal year if they have not been spent or legally committed.

The proposed Charter amendment will allow budget appropriations for multi-year capital improvement projects, such as roads and public works projects, to continue until the capital project is completed or the City Council changes the appropriation.

A "Yes" vote is a vote to amend Sunnyvale Charter Sections 1302 and 1305 to require the City Manager to submit a balanced 10-year budget with long-range financial planning, graphs and charts, financial performance measures, expenses and revenues and level of service to the community; and to continue capital project budget appropriations until the capital project is complete or the budget is changed by the Council.

A "No" vote is a vote not to amend Sunnyvale Charter Sections 1302 and 1305.

You may access the full text of the measure on the City's website at the following website address: http://www.BallotMeasures.inSunnyvale.com.

/s/ David Kahn
    City Attorney

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure J. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the elections official's office: Office of the City Clerk, telephone (408) 730-7483, located at 603 All America Way, Sunnyvale, California and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

Sunnyvale City Charter and Muncipal Code

Sunnyvale Times

The City of Sunnyvale has developed a culture of strong fiscal management. This was accomplished through multi-year budgeting with performance standards. Equally important were the tools used to present the complex budget to the City Council such that they could perform their fiduciary responsibilities. This long-range planning system has enabled Sunnyvale to more easily address economic down turns without the significant reductions in services that occur with single-year budgeting.

The budgeting process is important to providing and maintaining the level of service that Sunnyvale residents come to expect. Therefore, it merits the inclusion of this proven successful fiscal system in the City of Sunnyvale Charter. Inclusion in the Charter will make certain that the fiscal system is not changed administratively or without going to the voters.

A "Yes" vote is a vote to amend Sunnyvale Charter Sections 1302 and 1305 to require the City Manager to submit a balanced 10-year budget with long-range financial planning, graphs and charts, financial performance measures, expenses and revenues and level of service to the community; and to continue capital project budget appropriations until the capital project is complete or the budget is changed by the Council.

A "Yes" vote will:

• Ensure continued use of a proven successful financial system
• Require the City to submit a balanced 10-year budget
• Present the budget to the Council in an understandable manner
• Relate revenues and expenditures to services provided
• Provide measures to assist in evaluating financial efficiency and effectiveness
• Continue capital project budget appropriations until the project is complete

/s/ Otto Lee
    Mayor, City of Sunnyvale

/s/ Benjamin H. Picard
    Deputy Superintendent - Chief Business Official, Sunnyvale School District

/s/ Adam Simms
    Chairman, Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce

/s/ Richard Napier
    Vice Chair, Charter Review Committee & Former Mayor of Sunnyvale

/s/ Bo Song Chang
    Planning Commissioner

If Measure J carries, the City Charter of the City of Sunnyvale, shall be amended by amending Sections 1302 and 1305, of Article XIII (Fiscal Administration), to read as follows:

Section 1302. Budget. Submission to City Council. At least thirty-five days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the City Manager shall submit to the City Council the proposed budget as prepared by him/her. Said budget shall be a balanced 10-year budget, reflect a minimum of 10 years long-range financial planning, and include a multi-year operating and capital budget in accordance with the Fiscal Sub-Element of the City's General Plan. The budget shall depict planned City expenditures and revenues, as well as their relationship to the levels of service planned to be provided to the community. Financial efficiency and effectiveness measures shall be included, as well as historical trend data regarding past financial performances at the program budget level, at a minimum. The budget shall contain graphs/charts as appropriate to communicate both short-term and long-term impacts of the proposed budget to enable the Council to carry out its fiduciary responsibilities. After reviewing the same and making such revisions as it may deem advisable, the City Council shall determine the time for the holding of a public hearing thereon and shall cause to be published a notice thereof not less than ten days prior to said hearing, by at least one insertion in the official newspaper.

Copies of the proposed budget shall be available for inspection by the public in the office of the City Clerk at least ten days prior to said hearing.

Section 1305. Budget. Appropriations. From the effective date of the budget, the several amounts stated therein as proposed expenditures shall be and become appropriated to the several departments, offices and agencies for the respective objects and purposes therein named. All appropriations shall lapse at the end of the fiscal year to the extent that they shall not have been expended or lawfully encumbered. However, approved appropriations for Capital Improvement Projects shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year unless the Capital Improvement Project has been completed and closed out or the City Council takes affirmative action to modify the budget appropriation for the Capital Improvement Project.

At any meeting after the adoption of the budget, the City Council may amend or supplement the budget by motion adopted by the affirmative votes of at least four members so as to authorize the transfer of unused balances appropriated for one purpose to another purpose, or to appropriate available revenue not included in the budget.