CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the financing of the General Fund; authorizing interfund loans up to a total amount of $205,000,000 from multiple City Funds to the General Fund as bridge financing to be repaid from future tax proceeds and other anticipated revenues; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, the 2021 Adopted Budget was balanced with $214 million of revenues from the new payroll expense tax adopted by Ordinance 126108; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 126108 provided that in the first year the payroll expense tax payments are not due until January 31, 2022, after which the payroll expense tax will be collected on a quarterly basis; and
WHEREAS, the extension of the due date for 2021 payroll expense tax payments until 2022 has resulted in a cash flow delay to the General Fund, with the expectation that the General Fund will be in an extended negative cash flow position necessitating the authorization of an interfund loan; and
WHEREAS, Seattle Municipal Code subsection 5.06.030.C requires City Council approval by ordinance of any interfund loan for a duration of 90 days or more; and
WHEREAS, in the normal course of business the City may temporarily lend cash between funds to maintain required balances; and
WHEREAS, regarding use of the proceeds of this interfund loan for operating costs, the Director of Finance and the City Budget Director have determined that there is no viable alternative available for advancing a core City objective; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Finance and the City Budget Director have determined that this interfund loan request is consistent with the Debt Management Policies adopted by Resolution 31553; and
WHEREAS, the anticipated cash deficit in the General Fund could reach as much as $200 million during the term of the interfund loan, and no single Fund in the City Treasury maintains sufficient cash reserves both to fully fund the propo...
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