Budget for Website - Flipbook - Page 25
Executive Summary
A Reader’s Guide to Budgeting
General
Municipal budgets are governed by state law, local charter provisions, and generally
accepted accounting principles (GAAP). This Reader’s Guide is intended to help residents
and officials understand how the City of Plymouth prepares, adopts, and administers its
annual budget within the legal framework established by the Plymouth City Charter, Chapter
8 (Budget Procedure and General Finance) and the Michigan Uniform Budgeting Act (Public
Act 621 of 1978).
Legal Framework for the City Budget
The City of Plymouth’s budgeting and accounting practices comply with:
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Michigan Uniform Budgeting Act (Public Act 621 of 1978)
• Chapter 8 of the Plymouth City Charter – Budget Procedure and General Finance
Plymouth City Charter Authority
Fiscal Year
The Plymouth City Charter establishes that the fiscal and budget year of the City begins on
July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year (Charter Sec. 8.1).
Budget Preparation Responsibilities
The Charter clearly defines roles in budget development:
• Department heads and city officers must submit itemized expenditure estimates for the
upcoming fiscal year on or before February 15.
• The City Manager is responsible for compiling these requests into a complete,
itemized budget proposal.
The City Manager is responsible for preparing a complete, itemized budget proposal for the
upcoming fiscal year and submitting it to the City Commission at the first regular meeting in
April preceding the fiscal year (Charter Sec. 8.2).
Budget Document Requirements
The Charter requires that the proposed budget presents a complete financial plan for the
ensuing fiscal year. At a minimum, the budget document must include:
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Estimated revenues
Proposed expenditures
Transfers and capital outlays
Supporting schedules and summaries
This requirement ensures that the City Commission and the public can evaluate the City’s
overall financial condition and priorities (Charter Sec. 8.3).
City of Plymouth 2026/27 Budget
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