LTC 565-2018 Budget Advisory Committee MotionMIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC #
565-2018
TO : Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of
LEDER TO COMMISSION
FROM : Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager l-fl'----....
DATE : October 22, 2018
SUBJECT : Budget Advisory Committee Motio
The Budget Advisory Committee would like you to be aware of the attached motion regard ing
recommendations for the City's Resort Tax Reserve Policy, approved at their October 9, 2018,
committee meeting.
Resort Taxes are a relatively volatile funding source as tourism is vulnerable to sudden changes
in economic conditions. In addition , the Resort Tax Fund currently transfers $35.8 million to the
General Fund to cover eligible tourism -related expenditures. This increases the risk factor as
any sign ificant negative impacts to resort tax revenues will impact programs and services in
both the Resort Tax Fund as well as the General Fund. It is prudent and fiscally responsible to
maintain a sufficient reserve to insure against fluctuations in cash flow.
The objective of the proposed changes to the Resort Tax Reserve Policy are to increase the
goal of a minimum reserve from three months to six months and create a moving floor where
the minimum reserve increases over time until it reaches six months. The amount of reserve in
the minimum reserve is subject to an emergency provision and five-sevenths vote by
Commission.
Attachment
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JLM/JW
Meeting of October 9, 2018
City of Miami Beach
Budget Advisory Committee
Members Present: Jonathan Beloff, Brian Harris, Carl Linder, Susan Rosenthal, Ron Starkman,
Krista Yoder-Latortue, Steve Zuckerman
Members Absent: Marc Gidney-VIA Phone
Motion made by Jonathan Beloff
Motion seconded by Brian Harris
Motion Text:
The Budget Advisory Committee requests the Mayor and Commission support
recommendations to update the City's Resort Tax Fund Reserve Policy as follows:
1. The City of Miami Beach shall maintain a minimum reserve in the Resort Tax Fund (Fund 160} of two months of
total revenue of the 2% resort tax and shall have a goal of maintaining a minimum reserve equal to thFee six
months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax.
2. Said goal of thFee six months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax shall be established within the timeframe of
ten years effective as of October 1, ~ 2019.
3. A permanent contingency reserve is hereby established in an amount not less than two months of total
revenue of the 2% resort tax in the Resort Tax Fund to be held for use in a public emergency if and when an
emergency affecting life, health, property, public safety, or a significant economic impact on resort tax
collections, and the expenditure of such funds is authorized by a five-sevenths (5/7) vote of the City
Commission .
4. Said contingency reserve shall be increased or decreased annually, but shall be maintained at a minimum
amount of two months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax of the then existing Resort Tax Fund Budget.
5 . As the reserve level increases over time to meet the six month goal, the minimum required 2% Resort Tax
reserve will increase above the initial two months, as a moving floor, beginning an attainment of the remaining
target. For example, once the reserve attains the four month target at the end of a fiscal vear, the minimum
reserve would increase to three months and so on, until the six month minimum reserve is achieved.
6. Prior to any expenditures from this reserve, the Mayor and City Commission must declare an emergency
affecting life, health, property, public safety, or a significant economic impact on resort tax collections, and
authorize said expenditures by a five-sevenths (5/7) vote. The Administration is directed to restore the reserve
to its aforementioned level in an amount of not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) annually,
by an amendment to the Adopted Resort Tax Fund Budget.
The Budget Advisory Committee urges the Mayor and Commission to support the above
request.
Motion Passage: Votes 7-0