by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
After its first glance at the mayor’s $800 million budget, the City Council will take a close look at Super Bowl spending and $130 million in proposed City borrowing, said Council president Elaine Brown Tuesday.
Mayor John Peyton’s plan to spend about $5 million on Super Bowl entertainment and security attracted early interest from the Council, said Brown. She expected Peyton to face immediate questions on the matter after his Tuesday night budget address to the Council. When it pursued the game in 2000, the City promised to limit its Super Bowl spending to $2.75 million. The new expenditures would push the tally to near $8 million.
Brown encouraged Council members to limit debate on the budget until the Finance Committee begins its line-by-line review. Once in the hands of that committee and the Council Auditor’s Office, Brown promised a thorough review. Peyton’s budget proposes to spend $845 million, up 6 percent from $797 million in his first year in office.
“Anywhere we see an increase, we’re going to want to know how that money is going to be spent and why it’s necessary,” said Brown. “I’m not just talking about justification from looking at a book, we want to hear it.”
Another attention getter among the Council members has been Peyton’s proposal to borrow $133 million to study drainage and improve infrastructure.
Finance Committee chair Reggie Fullwood said the Council’s budget review sets the tone for its working relationship with the mayor’s office. He said the budget should reflect both the mayor’s and the Council’s priorities.
“We haven’t seen that connection yet, but that’s what this process is all about,” said Fullwood.
Last year, Peyton grappled with then Council president Lad Daniels and Finance chair Warren Alvarez over the accounting on new investments planned by Peyton and his interim chief financial officer, Walt Bussells. Peyton booked about $10 million in predicted earnings as revenue, helping to close a $20 million gap in his inaugural budget.
After weeks of assurances from Bussells and other City finance managers, the Council still wouldn’t let Peyton tally the investment money until it had been earned. The investments paid off as predicted and Brown said Peyton’s investments, projected to earn $23 million, would get the benefit of the doubt this year.