City of Issaquah issued the following announcement on Nov. 18.
After listening to public feedback and deliberating this fall, the City Council adopted a 2021 budget for the City of Issaquah on Nov. 16 that funds key community priorities, demonstrates fiscal restraint and is mindful of the current pandemic.
The adopted budget focuses on creating a safe and equitable community for all, supporting human services, investing in our parks and open spaces and making transportation improvements.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout significantly influenced the 2021 budget, as many of Issaquah’s funds rely on revenues that are prone to economic volatility.
The 2021 budget compensates for reduced revenues through selective use of fund balance and increasing some fees for services provided to outside entities to better cover City costs. These measures – as well as the City’s proactive steps to quickly decrease spending following the onset of COVID-19 and modest improvements to the revenue forecast in the months that followed – allowed the City to direct resources to its priority areas.
Meanwhile, as some households struggle with the financial impacts of COVID-19, the City also contained its utility expenses to avoid passing on rate increases to utility customers.
The 2021 budget authorizes $128.8 million in expenditures, including $53.4 million for the General Fund. Overall, the proposed budget is down 10% from the 2020 adopted budget of $143.1 million (with the General Fund portion up 7% thanks to one-time use of fund balance to sustain critical services).
Learn more online.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Issaquah
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