2.04.030 - Office.
A. There is created a metropolitan council office which shall be composed of such personnel, including clerical and secretarial personnel, either part-time or full-time, as may be authorized by the metropolitan council. The office shall provide research and advisory services to the council or any committee of the council upon request by the president of the council or upon request of any committee of the council. The duties of the office shall be limited to researching and advising the council or committee of the council on legislative matters. The office shall be responsible solely to the metropolitan council.
B. The annual operating budget of the council office shall be prepared and submitted as a part of the budget of the metropolitan council.
C. Members of the council office shall have full access to books, records and reports of all departments, boards, commissions and agencies of the metropolitan government. Such office however, shall exercise discretion to avoid unnecessary interference with the orderly work and responsibilities of other governmental officials, agencies and departments.
D. A special committee of the council, comprised of the chairmen of all standing committees and the president of the council, is authorized and directed to prepare plans for the organization of the office, to employ personnel, to secure suitable office space and supplies, to designate job specifications, and for such other matters as it may deem necessary and desirable for the orderly and efficient operation of the staff. The special committee shall submit its re-port and recommendations to the council for final approval.
E. Fiscal impact statements.
1. The metropolitan council office shall prepare a fiscal impact statement for all resolutions and ordinances on second and third reading, other than non-binding memorializing resolutions or ordinances amending Title 17 of the metropolitan code (zoning), that would:
a. Increase or decrease metropolitan government revenues;
b. Appropriate funds;
c. Increase or decrease existing appropriations; or
d. Increase or decrease the fiscal liability of the metropolitan government.
2. Such fiscal statement shall be provided to the full council at least forty-eight hours prior to consideration of the legislation by the council. Within twenty-four hours following a request by the sponsor of an amendment to any pending resolution or ordinance on which a fiscal note is required by this section, the metropolitan council office shall prepare for the sponsor a fiscal note showing what effect the amendment would have on the estimates made in the fiscal note applicable to the ordinance or resolution.
3. The fiscal note shall, if possible, include an estimate in dollars of the anticipated change in revenue, expenditures, or fiscal liability under the provisions of the ordinance or resolution. It shall also include a statement as to the immediate effect and, if determinable or reasonably foreseeable, the long-range effect of the measure. If, after careful investigation, it is determined that no dollar estimate is possible, the note shall contain a statement to that effect, setting forth the reasons why no dollar estimate can be given. The fiscal note statement shall include an explanation of the basis or reasoning on which the estimate is founded, including any assumptions involved.
4. No comment or opinion shall be included in the fiscal note regarding the merits of the measure for which the note is prepared; however, technical or mechanical defects may be noted.
(Ord. BL2012-91 § 1, 2012; Ord. BL2001-695 § 1, 2001; prior code § 2-1-1.2)
