By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The Bowie City Council approved the third draft of its 2019-20 budget during a brief workshop Monday night, and then presented it to the public during a public hearing at the regular meeting that evening.
Council members met last week for a budget workshop attempting to finalize the figures, and while the budget was approved so it could go forward in the public hearing, it still has several outstanding issues. The budget will not be “officially” adopted until it goes forward in the form of an ordinance with two readings before the council.
Budget draft
The Monday afternoon budget workshop was brief with only a few questions prior to the vote. Councilors Tami Buckmaster and Arlene Bishop did not attend the workshop or Monday night’s regular meeting.
This third budget draft proposed utility fund expenses at $9,471,000 with revenues at $11,336,430.
The general fund is proposed at $8,251,643 in expenses and $7,021,168 in revenue. The transfer from the utility fund into the general fund to help float it has been increased from this year’s budget of $1,150,000 to $1,250,000.
Some of the major items in this budget include a small increase in the tax rate, which City Manager Bert Cunningham says is being offset by a small reduction in the small business commercial electric rate.

Read the full story of the meeting in the mid-week Bowie News.