Page 14 - Hurst FY19 Approved Budget

How To Use This Budget continued

GENERAL FUND: This major section of the budget will show the reader how the General
Fund receives a greater variety of revenues and finances a wider range of governmental
activity than any other fund. For fiscal year 2019, the General Fund budgetary process
resulted in positive benefits for Hurst citizens. The City will enhance its level of services
while maintaining a stable operations and maintenance tax rate. The Crime Control
District (Anti-Crime), Community Services Half-Cent Sales Tax Funds and the Storm
Water Management Fund will continue to provide General Fund expenditure relief.

ENTERPRISE FUND: This fund encompasses the operations of the City’s water and
wastewater system. The name of the Enterprise Fund is derived from its establishment,
as a stand-alone enterprise, where revenues are generated to cover all operating and
capital expenses of the operation, much like a private business. The task of budgeting for
this fund is a challenge, since the weather has an enormous impact on the consumption
of water, which in turn affects the purchase of treated water and sanitary sewer treatment,
the fund’s largest expenditures. The City is dependent upon an outside source for both
water supply and wastewater treatment, and their annually adjusted service charges are
difficult to predict. Sound financial management by City Officials has provided stability for
this proprietary fund over the years.

OTHER FUNDS: This section provides the reader with a detailed look at the City's
internal service, debt service and special revenue funds. Especially significant is
information concerning the Community Services Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund. The
revenues generated by one-half percent additional sales tax approved by voters in
January of 1993 are largely responsible for the extremely positive position of the budgets
since that time. The impact is felt across all funds from this revenue source and provides
significant tax relief to Hurst citizens for future as well as current budgets. On September
9, 1995, voters overwhelmingly approved another one-half percent sales tax for crime
control and prevention purposes. In May 2010, voters approved the Anti-Crime sales tax
for an additional twenty years. The Storm Water Management Fund will provide
significant improvements to the City’s drainage system during fiscal year 2018-2019 and
for future years.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS: The reader can obtain an overview of all City capital
improvement projects that have been approved as funded and maintained in the City's
comprehensive "Capital Improvement Program” (CIP). Information is provided to the
reader primarily about current Public Works and Community Services projects. These
projects are funded from a variety of sources, including fund balance reserves, grants and
the sale of long-term bonds. The operating impact of projects is also summarized in this
section. The City publishes a separate CIP document providing detailed information for
all funded and unfunded projects.

APPENDIX: The Appendix contains ordinances adopting tax revenue, property tax rate,
crime control budget and water and sewer rates. The Appendix also contains the budget
glossary.

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