The Branson Board of Aldermen yesterday approved a budget of $78.7 million in expenditures for the fosca; year starting Jan. 1.
The budget represents a 16.8 percent increase over the $67.4 million projected for the current year ending Dec. 31, according to data provided in the
board’s agenda.
The city’s general fund represents 42 percent of the budget and is the largest chunk of the fiscal 2016 expenditures. The tourism fund makes up 20 percent; followed by water and sewer expenses, 20 percent; transportation, 12 percent; and parks and recreation, 6 percent.
The city projects fiscal 2016 revenue of $70.5 million, a 22 percent bump from projected 2015 revenues of $57.8 million. The largest driver is tourism, which is expected to grow by 98 percent to $24.7 million in 2016.
In fiscal 2016, the general fund is projected to make up 42 percent of revenue; followed by tourism, 26 percent; water and sewer, 16 percent; transportation, 13 percent; and parks and recreation, 3 percent.
Airport reimbursements
After first readings during the Branson board’s Nov. 10 meeting, the aldermen approved two bills allowing the city to reimburse the Branson Airport and the M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport.
For the privately owned Branson Airport, the city will reimburse $23,558 via the city’s pay-for-performance agreement covering the first six months of the year. Since July 2010, the city has reimbursed the airport for $2.9 million in billings.
The board also gave the thumbs up to a five-year reimbursement plan for the M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport. The plan would give the public airport funding up to $10,000 per year and capped at $50,000 through the extent of the deal.
