Planning 2012: City Looks Forward to Positive Financial Forecast

The Birmingham City Commission held its , during which commissioners heard reports from various city departments on what happened in 2011 and what's in store for Birmingham in 2012.

Birmingham Patch was there all day, but just in case you missed it, here are some of the highlights about the upcoming year in city government.

Property tax revenues expected to increase in 2013

First on the docket Saturday morning was a better-than-expected five-year financial forecast from the Birmingham .

“The financial forecast that has been presented this year is dramatically improved from what has been shown in past year,” the report reads. “The City’s willingness to conservatively forecast, and then to respond, has enabled the City to weather the sharp decline in property tax revenue since 2007.”

Birmingham Finance Director Sharon Ostin said property tax revenues are expected to bottom out in 2012 and that for some local communities — such as Birmingham and Northville — a small increase is forecast for 2013.

However, the report emphasized the need for caution. Revenue from the city’s general fund is expected to grow by only 1 percent in 2012-13 and going forward. Meanwhile, city costs have increased by more than 1 percent every year.

The biggest sources for revenue in 2012-13 will be property taxes, building permits, cable franchise fees and state-shared revenue. Meanwhile, with the city’s staff level expected to remain at 135 employees, personnel and health care will be Birmingham’s biggest expenditure.

Other big projects for 2012-13 include sidewalk construction, particularly in the Rail District.

• For more: For a full report from the long-range planning session, check out . Make sure to tell us what you think city government should focus on in 2012 by taking our poll at the end of the story.