Items included in budget in case grants received

All of us on Sandpoint's City Council are mighty concerned that we keep the property tax burden down. The article by R.J. Cohn in the Sept. 7 Daily Bee titled, "City adopts $26M budget," includes a significant misunderstanding. The proposed amendment to remove from the budget $500,000 for refurbishing Memorial Field would not have saved money nor reduced taxes. That, and a number of other items, are in the budget only so the money can legally be spent if donations or grants are received for the purpose.

Government budgeting in Idaho is different from private business in that money cannot be spent unless it is in the budget.

At the Sept. 5 meeting approving the budget, at the previous hearing and at each budget workshop, I clarified the state requirement that the city cannot spend donation or grant money unless it is included in the budget. I have also pointed out the difference between this procedure and private business budgeting.

STEVE LOCKWOOD

Sandpoint