Washington law outlines the process that cities use to prepare and adopt the budget. Mountlake Terrace uses a two-year budget, currently for the period of January 2007 through December 2008. The budget process begins in the Spring, with the City Council identifying goals to be achieved during the next two to three years. Department directors then gather information, and make recommendations to the City Manager on how best to achieve the Council’s goals.

This information includes everything from reductions in one area to increases in another. After reviewing the information with staff and the City Council, the City Manager presents the Council with a balanced budget in the Fall. The City Council then holds a series of public meetings to discuss the proposed budget and to make changes. For the 2007-2008 budget the City Council held a total of nine public meetings to discuss the budget. The 2007-2008 budget was adopted by the Council on December 4, 2006. Take a look at the
2007 – 2008 Budget In Brief (PDF).