The budgetary process is required by the city charter and is an essential planning tool which enables the department to organize its financial resources in an objective-directed effort to derive the maximum return for the tax dollars expended.

Unit heads communicate their organizational needs by means of budget requests. Such requests should be limited to those items which are necessary to continue the present standard of service, materially improve the standard of service, or reduce the cost of service. It is the responsibility of unit heads to weigh their needs carefully and to present budget estimates which incorporate reasonable and economically sound requests. If an item is requested on the basis that it will improve the standard of service, the justification should show conclusively that this objective will be reached and that the cost of the item will be returned in some concrete manner, such as the rendering of decidedly superior service to the public or by an actual saving of money over a period of time. During the preparation of annual budget requests, unit heads shall review each specialized assignment in current practice under their command to decide on its continuation. This review should include an evaluation of the initial problem or condition that required implementation of the specialized assignment and a cost-benefit analysis of the specialized assignment.

The City of Saint Paul operates from a budget developed annually. As part of the development of the budget, goals and objectives are established by the department to guide the expenditure of authorized funds.

Revised July 1, 2011

Last Edited: March 21, 2017