Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow is proposing his eighth and final budget to be voted on by the Oswego Common Council.
The proposed 2024 operating budget for the City of Oswego features no tax increases, no increase in sewer or water fees, $80,000 for special events, as well as funding for new emergency services. In the $60,807,855 budget, $5.7 million was allocated for the Oswego Fire Department, $6.2 million for the Oswego Police Department and $8.6 million for the Oswego Department of Public Works.
Barlow said this budget is an extension of each of his years in office.
“My final budget will reflect the same themes included in my first seven, investments in the police department, fire department, department of public works will ensure continued top-tier service to constituents for years to come,” Barlow said.
One change to this year’s budget outline is using the city’s fund balance to balance the budget. Based on the size of Oswego, current reserve funds sit $10 million over the city’s need. Even with allocating $4 million from the funds, the reserve remains above what is recommended. Barlow said if the city did not use these funds now, they could miss out on large amounts of state aid.
“While using fund balance to balance a budget isn’t always my favorite thing to do, this year it is necessary and smart,” Barlow said. “In fact, because of years of smart budgeting, we, according to state guidelines, have too much fund balance and risk losing amounts of state aid.”
He credited the city’s overall growth to the investments made into public services and spaces.
“When government adopts a business-like, return-on-investment driven strategy it works,” Barlow said. “No government, anywhere at any time, can penny-pinch its way to prosperity.”
The Oswego Common Council is expected to vote on the budget following a mandatory public hearing on August 28. You can view the proposed budget below.
