General Fund

The General Fund is the City's largest fund and includes governmental activities such as Police, Fire/Rescue, Public Facilities, Construction Services, Planning and Zoning, and Recreation. Also included are the various administrative activities such as City Council, Administration, Legal, City Clerk, Engineering, Purchasing and Contracts Management, Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, and General Services. Property taxes, franchise fees, and certain state shared revenues comprise the majority of the General Fund reveneus. Most of the expenditures in this fund are personnel related, due to the labor-intensive nature of providing general government services and make up approximately 47.3% of all General Fund expenditures and uses, including reserves.

Revenues and Other Sources

Revenues and other sources for the General Fund total $165,059,701. This amount includes an available estimated beginning fund balance of $49,822,343. This is an increase of $16,578,455, or 11.2% from the fiscal year 2022 adopted budget of $148,514,250. Ad Valorem Tax revenues comprise the largest share of the General Fund revenues and are proposed to total $79,546,451, or 48.2% of the total revenues and sources of funding.

Excluding beginning fund balance and other sources, recurring revenues are proposed to total $114,366,354. This is an increase of $8,651,443, or 8.2% from the fiscal year 2022 adopted budget of $105,714,911. The increase is attributed primarily to:
  • Ad Valorem (7.8 million) - increase in property valuations
  • Licenses and Permits (1.1 million) - increase in construction

It is important to note that amended, adopted, and proposed budget numbers include Beginning Fund Balance amounts, while actual and estimated actual do not. In accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, actual amounts reflect only revenues recognized each year. Beginning Fund Balance represents resources received and recognized in prior years as revenue but are available for appropriation in future years.

Expenditures and Other Uses

Expenditures and other uses for the General Fund total $165,059,701. This amount includes an estimated ending reserves balance of $49,828,389. Fiscal year 2023 proposed expenditures and other uses are balanced with the total proposed revenues and other sources of funding.

Personnel costs are the largest use of expenditures for the General Fund and are proposed to total $78,166,308, or 47.4% of the total expenditures and uses. Other significant uses of expenditures and their proposed totals include:
  • Operating - $29,855,158
  • Capital Outlay - $3,674,210
  • Debt Service - $3,535,636

Excluding estimated ending reserves balance, other uses, debt service, and capital outlay, recurring expenditures are proposed to total $108,021,466. This is an increase of $8,942,863, or 9.0% from the fiscal year 2022 adopted budget of $99,078,603.

It is important to note that amended, adopted, and proposed budget numbers include Reserves, while actual and estimated actual do not. In accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, actual amounts reflect only expenditures recognized each year. Reserves represent funds that are held for restricted purposes or may be reallocated for specific purposes throughout the fiscal year.