The city of Chattanooga put in place a continuation budget this month, buying the new mayoral administration the duration of the summer to craft a real budget for the fiscal year that will start July 1.
After a runoff election, Mayor Tim Kelly took office at the end of April, with little time before the city would traditionally release its proposed annual budget.
Typically, the mayor’s proposed budget is introduced to council members and the public in May and passed by the city council before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.
But this year – like many transition years – the city will not release a proposed budget until August, after passing a continuation to allow the Kelly administration time to create its first of four budgets.
“The bottom line is that we’re building a budget that reflects Mayor Kelly’s vision, and that is going to take a little bit more time,” Chief Policy Officer Joda Thongnopnua told the Times Free Press. “But we thought it was better to get it right than to try and get it out as fast as possible.”