2014-28543 Reso RESOLUTION NO. 2014-28543
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE
FINANCE AND CITYWIDE PROJECTS COMMITTEE (FCWPC) AND
ADOPTING A CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FINANCIAL POLICY FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A RESERVE IN THE RESORT TAX FUND
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission recognize the necessity to adequately
provide the resources to operate the City in the event of a catastrophe; and
WHEREAS, such resources can be provided by the establishment of a permanent
reserve for such contingencies; and
WHEREAS, the City's Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), with support from the City
Administration, has recommended the adoption of a financial policy for the establishment of a
reserve in the Resort Tax Fund; and
WHEREAS, the National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting and the
Government Finance Officers Association recommends that jurisdictions establish a policy
governing the appropriate level of reserves for key funds.
WHEREAS, the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC) met on March 21,
2014, and recommended that the City Commission adopt a City of Miami Beach financial policy
for the establishment of a reserve in the Resort Tax Fund.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, that the Mayor and City Commission hereby accept the
recommendation of the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee and adopt a City of Miami
Beach financial policy for the establishment of a reserve in the Resort Tax Fund; which policy is
attached and incorporated as Exhibit "A" to this Resolution.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 23rd day of April, 2014.
r
Philip Levine, M
Attest:
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EXHIBIT A
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FINANCIAL POLICY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
A RESERVE IN THE RESORT TAX FUND
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 three months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax.
2. Said goal of three months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax shall be established within
the timeframe of ten years effective as of October 1, 2014.
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. 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.
COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Condensed Title:
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH,
FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE AND CITYWIDE PROJECTS
COMMITTEE (FCWPC) TO ADOPT A CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FINANCIAL POLICY FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A RESERVE IN THE RESORT TAX FUND
Key Intended Outcome Supported:
Ensure expenditure trends are sustainable over the long term
rove the City's overall financial health and maintain overall bond rating
Item Summa /Recommendation:
Resort Taxes are a relatively volatile funding source as tourism is vulnerable to sudden changes
in economic conditions and natural hazards. In addition,the Resort Tax Fund currently transfers
$32.9 million to the General Fund to cover eligible tourism-related expenditures. This increases
the risk factor as any significant 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 create a sufficient reserve to insure against fluctuations in cash flow.
The City does not currently have a formal reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund. In practice,the
City has maintained two months of operating expenses(net of debt service and transfers)as an
informal reserve policy the same as adopted reserve policies for the General Fund and
Enterprise Funds. Two months of operating expenses is a low reserve amount for this fund as
debt service and transfers are a significant portion of overall expenditures.
In Letter to Commission (LTC) number 422-2013, the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)
requested that the Mayor and Commission support the BAC's recommendation for a proposed
reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund.
The BAC's proposed reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund was reviewed by the Finance &
Citywide Projects Committee(FCWPC)on March 21,2014. The proposed policy was approved
with the following change: the ultimate goal of a reserve equaling six-months of total 2% resort
tax revenue was revised to three-months of total revenue. City Administration was directed to
prepare a resolution for Commission consideration adopting policies similar to the
recommendations of the BAC, with the slight change of the ultimate goal of a reserve of three
months total 2% resort tax revenue instead of six months.
Financial Information:
Source of h�? dt Account 3...w�.. .
Funds:
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Financial Impact Summary:
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MIAMIBEr-N NA,".&.H AGENDA ITEM C
DATE
MIAMI BEACH
City of Miami Beath,1700 Convention Center Drive,Miami Beach,Florida 33139,www.miamibeachf.gov
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Philip Levine and Members f the City ommission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: April 23, 2014
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAY R AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AC EPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE
FINANCE AND CITYWIDE PROJECTS COMMITTEE (FCWPC) TO ADOPT A CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH FINANCIAL POLICY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
RESERVE IN THE RESORT TAX FUND
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends that the City Commission adopt the attached Resolution which
establishes a City of Miami Beach financial policy for the establishment of a reserve in the
Resort Tax Fund.
BACKGROUND
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 $32.9 million to the
General Fund to cover eligible tourism-related expenditures. This increases the risk factor as
any significant 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
create a sufficient reserve to insure against fluctuations in cash flow.
The City does not currently have a formal reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund. In practice,
the City has maintained two months of operating expenses (net of debt service and transfers)as
an informal reserve policy the same as adopted reserve policies for the General Fund and
Enterprise Funds. Two months of operating expenses is a low reserve amount for this fund as
debt service and transfers are a significant portion of overall expenditures.
In Letter to Commission (LTC) number 422-2013, the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)
requested that the Mayor and Commission support the BAC's recommendation for a proposed
reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund.
The BAC's proposed reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund was reviewed by the Finance &
Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC) on March 21, 2014. The proposed policy was approved
with the following change: the ultimate goal of a reserve equaling six-months of total 2% Resort
Tax revenue was revised to three-months of total revenue. City Administration was directed to
prepare a resolution for Commission consideration adopting policies similar to the
recommendations of the BAC, with the slight change of the ultimate goal of a reserve of three
months total 2% Resort Tax revenue instead of six months.
Resolution Adopting a Financial Policy for the Establishment of a Reserve in the Resort Tax Fund
Page 2
The BAC and FCWPC recommend the following reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund (Fund
160):
1. The City of Miami Beach shall maintain a minimum reserve in the Resort Tax Fund of two
months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax and shall have a goal of maintaining a minimum
reserve equal to s+x three months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax.
2. Said goal of six three months of total revenue of the 2% resort tax shall be established
within the timeframe of ten years effective as of October 1, 2014.
3. A permanent contingency reserve is hereby established in an amount not less than two
months of total 2% resort tax revenues of the annual fiscal budget 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 2% resort tax revenues of the then existing
Resort Tax Fund Budget.
5. 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.
ANALYSIS
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) recommends a minimal reserve policy of
two months of operating expenses or two months of total revenues. The GFOA recommends
that in establishing a policy governing the appropriate level of reserves, a government should
consider a variety of factors including:
• The predictability of its revenues and the volatility of its expenditures (i.e., higher levels of
reserves may be needed if significant revenue sources are subject to unpredictable
fluctuations or if operating expenditures are highly volatile)
• The fund's perceived exposure significant one-time outlays (e.g., disasters, immediate
capital needs, etc.)
• The potential drain upon general fund resources from other funds as well as the availability
of resources in other funds
Resolution Adopting a Financial Policy for the Establishment of a Reserve in the Resort Tax Fund
Page 3
The proposed reserve policy proposes to set a floor reserve of at least two months of total 2%
resort tax revenue of the Resort Tax Fund (Fund 160). Based on the net cash available as of
9/30/13, the fund currently meets the minimum reserve requirement of two months of total 2%
resort tax revenue in the policy. The goal would be to increase the reserve to &ix three months
of total 2% resort tax revenues over the period of the next ten years or sooner.
Preliminary net cash available as of 9/30/13* $10,942,051
Reserve equal to 2 months of total 2% resort tax revenues $7,946,833
Reserve equal to 3 months of total 2% resort tax revenues $11,920,250
Reserve equal to 4 months of total 2% resort tax revenues $15,893,667
Reserve equal to 5 months of total 2% resort tax revenues $19,867,083
Reserve equal to 6 months of total 2% resort tax revenues $23,840,500
Note:Actual net cash available as of 9130113 will not be available until the City's Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report(CAFR)is completed in May.
CONCLUSION
The proposed reserve policy for the Resort Tax Fund addresses the volatility of this key funding
source to minimize potential future negative impacts from unforeseen events. The policy would
help ensure continuity of operations in both the Resort Tax Fund and the General Fund and
maintain or improve the City's credit ratings. Administration recommends adoption of the
attached resolution.
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