Sponsor: Finance
Title
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2024 Budget Adjustments for Overspending in the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office
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Recommendation
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Authorize the County Manager and the Chief Financial Officer to transfer up to $1,000,000 to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office from general fund fund balance in 2024.
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Background and Rationale
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In 2024, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office is projected to exceed available appropriations by approximately $1,000,000. This budgetary deficit from an elected office must be addressed by the Ramsey County Board to authorize the use fund balance. Attorney's Office has been proactive in collaborating with Office of Safety and Justice to understand future budget pressures and look at options mitigate shortfalls.
The County Manager works with Central Finance, the Office of Safety and Justice and the Attorney’s Office proactively to ensure understanding as to the driver’s impacting the Attorney’s budget throughout the year. For 2024, the primary cost drivers are:
• Staffing expenditures are projected to be $42.1 million, or around $420,000 over budget. This was mainly driven by a Memorandum of Understanding for wages negotiated between the county and the Assistant County Attorneys bargaining unit.
• The Prosecution of Center of Excellence agreement significantly contributed to professional service costs along with higher than anticipated private counsel and expert witness fees. Other services are projected to be around $580,000 over budget ($380,000 and $200,000 respectively).
This action requests transfer of uncommitted general fund fund balance to cover the overspending in the Attorney’s Office. The requested transfer is for up to $1,000,000 total to ensure adequate authority exists to cover all outstanding costs and close the books for the county for budget year 2024. The actual amount to be transferred is expected to be less and only the funds needed will be used.
This is a one-time authorization for a transfer of funds in 2024 and does not increase the Attorney’s Office budget in future years.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Effective and transparent use of taxpayer dollars is critical to ensuring trust, accountability and transparency for Ramsey County and the Attorney’s Office. Careful consideration of use of public funds, particularly the general tax levy, is critical to building trust with historically marginalized communities and ensuring investments are made into the most critical needs and priorities to support Ramsey County residents to achieve the county’s vision, mission, and goals.
Community Participation Level and Impact
For this action related to 2024 overspending, community participation level is to inform. However, there will be many opportunities for community to share input on the Attorney’s Office budget for the 2026-27 budget process.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
To close the 2024 fiscal year, this request is for the Ramsey County Board to appropriate up to $1 million of general fund fund balance to cover costs in the Attorney’s Office. This will reduce the county reserves; however, the county will remain in compliance with its fund balance policy to have two months of expenditures available. A full report on county spending in 2024 will be brought to the board after the year end processes and our annual audit are completed.
Last Previous Action
None.
Attachments
None.