Budget Format And Content Checklist
Use this checklist to ensure that your budget will be in compliance with the format and content requirements of the Local Government Budget Law (29-1-101, et seq., C.R.S.).
A budget presents a complete financial plan by fund and by spending agency within each fund and sets forth the following:
- Written Budget Message must:
- describe the important features of the budget;
- include a statement of the budgetary basis of accounting used in the budget [cash, modified accrual, or encumbrance, (29-1-102(2)C.R.S.)];
- include a description of the services to be delivered during the budget year. (29-1-103(1)(e), C.R.S.)
- Expenditures and Revenues must be described with “. . . explanatory schedules or statements classifying the expenditures by object and the revenues by source.” (29-1-103(1)(f), C.R.S.)
- Estimated Beginning and Ending Fund Balances must be shown. (29-1-103(1)(c), C.R.S.) Fund Balances are described as “ . . . the balance of total resources available for subsequent years’ budgets . . . (29-1-102 (11), C.R.S.)
- Three Years' Comparable Data must be shown in the budget: the prior fiscal year’s actual figures; the estimated figures through the end of the current fiscal year; and the budget year’s data. (e.g. 2011 actuals, 2012 Year end estimates, and 2013 adopted numbers for the 2013 Budget year) (29-1-103(1)(d), C.R.S.)
- No Deficit Spending. No budget shall provide for expenditures in excess of available revenues and beginning fund balances. (29-1-103(2), C.R.S.)
- Financed Purchase of an Asset or Certificate of Participation Agreement Supplemental Schedule. The adopted budget must separately set forth the total amount to be expended during the budget year for payment obligations under all financed purchase of an asset or certificate of participation agreements for real property and for all other property. It must also show the total maximum payment liability under the agreement, and all optional renewal terms. (29-1-103(3)(d), C.R.S.)
- Resolutions or Ordinances adopting the budget, appropriating resources for expenditure and certifying a mill levy (if property taxes are levied).
Filing the Budget
A copy of the budget must be filed with the Division of Local Government by January 31. (29-1-113(1), C.R.S.). This file should include the resolution adopting the budget, the resolution to appropriate and, if applicable, the resolution to set the mill levy in a single, combined PDF file.
Filing the document through our e-filing system is strongly recommended and will provide you confirmation of submission, acceptance or rejection for any reason and will allow for immediate publication of the document online.
More information and templates are available.
Use our e-filing system.