Burlington general fund recorded $985,348 deficit through June

Burlington’s general fund recorded a $985,348.39 deficit through June 30, with expenditures of $4,721,112.69 exceeding revenue of $3,735,764.30, according to the city’s July 27 council packet.

The budget-to-actual table shows general-fund revenue at 57.53% of its $6,493,186 annual budget and expenditures at 72.74% of the $6,489,975 budget. Among the largest listed revenue categories, sales tax totaled $993,264.33 against a $1.91 million budget, property tax totaled $347,536.45 against a $477,997 budget, and interest earnings totaled $16,428.37 against a $50,000 budget. Motor-vehicle sales tax, utility franchise fees, administrative service fees, court fines and building permits also were below their full-year budget amounts.

The accessible report does not provide enough detail to identify which expenditure categories account for the $4.72 million total, so it does not establish whether one department, capital purchase or other expense is chiefly responsible.

Water and wastewater revenue exceeded expenditures by $356,245.05, with $1.52 million in revenue and $1.16 million in expenditures. The airport fund posted a $28,763.66 surplus, and the Conservation Trust Fund was positive by $4,549.98.

The city reported $9,728,974.76 in combined cash, but that is not the same as unrestricted general-fund operating money. About $6.53 million was assigned to the Electric Fund, $1.57 million to water and sewer, and $1.05 million to the General Fund. The report also lists negative cash positions for the Solid Waste and Airport funds.

The general-fund balance-sheet section lists total fund equity of $1,512,561.01. That is a snapshot of the fund’s recorded position, not an indication of how much equity is available for current operations.

The materials reviewed do not include a June 2025 comparison, a month-by-month history, a June-specific forecast, a budget amendment, a spending-control plan or a transfer to address the deficit. They therefore do not establish whether the shortfall is a normal seasonal pattern or what action officials plan to take.

As of July 26, the report was scheduled for presentation at the Burlington City Council’s July 27 meeting. Earlier January-through-May discussion attributed to City Administrator Jim Keehne said the city was performing well while completing budgeted capital projects, but that assessment predates the June figures and does not explain the variance.