After months of work and hours of public hearings, the Mesquite City Council passed its fiscal year 2019-20 budget on a 4-1 vote at its May 28 meeting. Voting no was Councilwoman Annie Black. who disagreed on the procedures and processes used to build the spending plan.
Operating revenues in the general fund are projected at $24.04 million with expenditures set at $24.6 million. The general fund includes the budget necessary to provide core services that most directly impact residents on a daily basis.
The official budget document says that according to the state demographer statistics as of July 1, the city’s official population is now 22,557, an 8.2 percent increase from last year’s population of 20,838.
Total Intergovernmental revenues are projected at $11,882,246 of which the largest source comes from the state’s consolidated tax (C-tax). The state is projecting an allocation to Mesquite of approximately $9.5 million “representing 39.6 percent and 40.8 percent of total General Fund operating revenues for FY 2020 and 2019, respectively.”
Of the other Intergovernmental revenues, LVCVA room and gaming taxes are set to bring in $860,820, down slightly from this year’s $863,293. County gaming licenses revenues are projected at $335,000. Revenues from the Regional Flood Control Commission are set at $769,800.
Property taxes in Mesquite are estimated to provide $3.9 million in revenues an increase of $177,391 over the FY 2018-19 budget. The budget document says “The city’s tax rate of $0.5520 continues to rank as one of the lowest City-controllable tax rates in Clark County and the State of Nevada. Budgeted property tax revenues represent 16.3 percent and 16.6 percent of total General Fund budgeted operating revenues for FY 2020 and 2019, respectively.”
Perhaps not so surprisingly, city revenues from marijuana-related licenses and permits are budgeted to hit $788,000 in FY 2019-20, up from actual revenues of $668,888 in the current fiscal year. Deep Roots Harvest, Mesquite’s only marijuana business pays for separate permits and licenses related to retail medical, retail recreational, cultivation and production. The city also garners a modest amount of revenues from state allocations of marijuana taxes.
Deep Roots opened its business in July 2015 with its first sales of medical marijuana products in October 2016. Recreational marijuana sales began in July 2017. In 2017, the city projected $240,000 in annual tax revenues from Deep Roots operations.
By comparison, the city is projecting to collect $950,000 in building permits in the upcoming fiscal year and $540,000 in business licenses. Revenues from gaming licenses are projected at $343,000 and liquor licenses are projected at $180,000.
Total revenues from all licenses and permits are projected to bring in $3.139 million in FY 2019-20. That’s an increase from this year’s $2,966,157 in actual collections.
Total operating expenditures for city employee salaries is projected at $10,521,121 with benefits adding another $5,605,179. Service and supplies expenditures are set at $8,001,717.
The Mesquite Police Department is budgeted to spend $6,483,497 which includes the police force, corrections, and dispatch operations. The Fire Department’s budget comes in at $4,357,392. Total public safety will consume $10,840,889 of the $24 million general fund budget.
Total culture and recreational spending is pegged at $3,539,196 for parks and grounds maintenance, athletics and leisure services, and the museum.
Spending for all public works is budgeted for $3,883,722. That includes Development Services, facility maintenance, streets and drainage, and vehicle maintenance.
Total general government spending is budgeted for $3,988,460. Of that, $1,142,300 is earmarked for Information Technology, $705,215 for city attorney services, $586,150 for non-departmental funds, and $388,790 for the finance department.
The city manager’s office has $363,350 budgeted for its operations while $381,650 is set aside for Mayor and Council operations.