2012 Annual Report
Martin J. Griffin Mayor 1st Ward Councilmember Michelle Woods
3rd Ward Councilmember Daniel P. Greer
5th Ward Councilmember Andrew R. Frounfelker
2nd Ward Councilmember Kimberly Jaquish
4th Ward Councilmember Laura Dwyer Schlecte
6th Ward Councilmember Derek J. Dobies
City of Jackson
Contents
City Council Values & Goals, Engineering Division
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Neighborhood & Economic Operations
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City Assessor’s Office, City Clerk’s Office, City Attorney’s Office 5 Police & Fire, Finance Department
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Parks & Recreation, Purchasing
7
Jackson Connect, Personnel & Labor Relations
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Department of Public Works
9
Treasurer & Income Taxes
10
Revenues & Expenditures
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essage from the Mayor and City Manager
It has been our great honor and privilege to serve as the Mayor and City Manager of Jackson during this transformative year. Building upon our rich history as a great place to live, work, and raise a family, the City Council has implemented a Neighborhood Economic Stabilization program designed to enhance our assets. While we continue to work towards providing the highest quality services to our residents and businesses, the Neighborhood Economic Stabilization program is designed to reach further. Through the elimination of blighted structures throughout the City we are able to decrease the overly robust stock of abandoned/decaying homes while increasing the value of others. The City’s demolition of over 145 structures, or approximately 20 percent of the identified dangerous blighted structures has resulted in clean vacant lots that will be available for future development opportunities. While some of the cleared parcels may be sold to adjacent property owners, or for developmental purposes, they will principally serve to enhance the green space within the City, which in turn improves the aesthetics of the neighborhood. The secondary component involves the internal reorganization of City functions. The goal is to achieve a more user friendly environment, which is attractive to both current and future investors, as well as also provide a substantial administrative savings to the taxpayers of the
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City of Jackson
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C I T Y O F J AC K S O N
City. One example is the City Council’s approval of a reduction in the number of administrative departments that has resulted in over $450,000 in savings. Combined with the neighborhood enhancements, the result will be a community positioned to take advantage of the impending economic recovery while setting a standard representative of the founding fathers. While much remains to be done, we are very appreciative of the support the community and individuals who have worked with and alongside us during the prior 12 months. A special recognition goes to the staff that spent countless hours transforming these concepts/goals into reality. The combined efforts of all stakeholders are essential to our continued success.
Martin J. Griffin, Mayor
Patrick Burtch, City Manager
2012 Annual Report
City Council Values & Goals
Jackson Connect
The City of Jackson proudly presents Jackson Connect. Jackson Connect is an automated system now available to relay emergency weather alerts, and other essential information to the citizens of Jackson through telephone, e-mail, and text messaging. Please visit our website at www.cityofjackson.org, and click on the Jackson Connect icon to enter your contact information to receive emergency and weather alerts, as well as informative messages regarding the Jackson community. Please call 517-768-6090 if you do not wish to receive communications from the City.
2011 Annual Report
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www.cityofjackson.org
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City of Jackson
Neighborhood & Economic Operations
T
he Department of Neighborhood & Economic Operations encompasses several programs for the City of Jackson including building and trades permits, dangerous building enforcement, building and housing inspections, planning and zoning administration, home owner rehabilitation, rental housing code enforcement, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) administration, economic development, brownfield redevelopment, blight ordinance enforcement and engineering. The department also provides staffing for various boards and commissions, including the Historic District Commission, the Jackson Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Administrative Hearings Bureau, the Planning Commission, Zoning and Sign Board of Appeals, and the Building Board Code of Examiners and Appeals. The Building Inspection division is responsible for reviewing building and site plans, issuing construction and trade permits, and conducting inspections throughout the City. During calendar year 2012, the Department issued 602 building permits,
Corner of Northeast and Williams Before Demolition
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City of Jackson
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C I T Y O F J AC K S O N
130 demolition permits, 350 electrical permits, 296 plumbing, and 394 mechanical permits. Inspectors also investigate and prosecute instances of work being done without permits or improperly licensed persons performing work. During fiscal year 2011-2012, the Department provided $394,888 in rehabilitation loans to complete 23 rehabilitation or emergency hazard projects for low- to moderate-income homeowners. In an effort to keep neighborhoods clean and livable, inspectors wrote 1,455 garbage violation citations, 215 inoperable/unlicensed vehicle citations, and 184 tree/ noxious weed violation citations. The Jackson Brownfield Redevelopment Authority has successfully utilized $338,366 of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assessment Grant funds on twenty-three (23) Brownfield sites within the City, resulting in private investment for environmental work and redevelopment projects. This investment not only encourages new local business enterprise in the city, but also redevelopment of vacant and underused buildings. The City also has allocated $500,000 of its $1 million US EPA Revolving Loan
funds to assist with environmental response activities at the former Consumers Energy Headquarters. $500,000 is still available to developers for the cleanup of environmentally contaminated properties. The Department of Neighborhood & Economic Operations devoted a great deal of time implementing the initial phases of Jackson’s Overall Economic Stabilization (JOES) program. Staff was utilized to begin updating housing, building, zoning and other ordinances. This program began with actions to stabilize neighborhoods through demolition of vacant, abandoned and dilapidated housing, and increased code and zoning enforcement. Two property registries were put into place – the Non-Owner Occupied Residential Property Registry and the Foreclosed, Vacant or Abandoned Residential Property Registry. During calendar year 2012, 88 condemned houses containing 146 living units were demolished, along with 25 free standing garages and 8 commercial structures. Inspections of non-owner occupied residential properties were reinstated in October 2012 by scheduling the inspections of 1,168 housing units.
Corner of Northeast and Williams After Demolition
2012 Annual Report
Engineering Division The Engineering Division bid 12 projects this fiscal year totaling over $3.48 million. Along with our construction projects, some of the committees we were involved with were the Jackson Area Comprehensive Transportation Study Technical and Policy Committees, Walkable Communities Task Force, MDOT University Region Bridge Council, Parking Advisory Committee, Michigan Parking Association and the Jackson Traffic Safety Committee. Below is a list of the major projects the Department handled: MAJOR STREET CONSTRUCTION: E. High St: west bridge deck overlay and railing repairs; Fourth St: Morrell to Michigan thin mill and resurfacing; Ganson St: Wisner to Center mill and resurfacing; Ganson St: Center to Steward reconstruction with water main replacement; Ganson St: Steward to Jackson mill and resurface. LOCAL STREET CONSTRUCTION: Loomis St: Leroy to Argyle pavement replacement with new water main; Wilkins St: Greenwood to Francis reconstruction with new watermain; Mason St: Mechanic to Francis – reconstruct with new watermain. SANITARY SEWER REHABILITATION: E. Michigan Ave: Cooper to Waterloo brick sewer
City Attorney’s Office The City Attorney’s Office is a full service law office, delivering a complete range of legal services to the City’s elected and appointed officials and departments. The City’s legal department consists of the City Attorney, Deputy City Attorney, Assistant City Attorney, and two legal support professionals. The Department’s duties include: • Handling approximately 2,000 District Court criminal prosecutions annually; • Prosecuting zoning, housing, and other blight-related ordinance violations in the City’s Administrative Hearings Bureau; • Defending the City, its officials, and employees against lawsuits; • Administering the insurance programs of the City; • Addressing citizen complaints; • Collecting accounts receivable; and • Handling the defense of real and personal property tax cases in the Michigan Tax Tribunal. In addition, all resolutions, ordinances, and contracts involving the City are written or reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office.
lining; Mechanic St.: Mason to Franklin installed 15” PVC sanitary main. WATERMAIN REPLACEMENT: Wildwood: Edward to Lydia directional drilled in new 8” watermain. NON-MOTORIZED: Repaved the Intercity Trail between Prospect and Francis.
Ganson Street, looking east from Bush Street
Personnel & Labor Relations
The City of Jackson’s Personnel & Labor Relations Dept. serves hundreds of employees and retirees and thousands of the job-seeking public. In 2012, the Personnel Department successfully completed negotiations for all four (4) of the City’s collective bargaining agreements representing more than 150 employees. Other accomplishments included implementing more cost effective health insurance plans and implementing numerous new legislative mandates by the State of Michigan.
City Assessor’s Office
The Assessor’s Office is responsible for appraising and assessing all real and personal property in the City of Jackson. We answer inquiries from residents, property owners, mortgage companies, prospective buyers, businessmen, appraisers and government agencies. We provide information on assessment procedures, amount of taxes, lot sizes, lot splits, legal descriptions, owners of land and qualifications for filling of state exemptions. Additionally the Assessor’s office tracks and verifies principle residential exemptions, updates property ownership information, creates special assessment rolls, maintains property tax maps, collects and analyzes sale data, defends assessments before the Michigan Tax Tribunal and maintains a computerized appraisal system.
2011 Annual Report
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www.cityofjackson.org
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City of Jackson
Parks, Recreation & Cemeteries PARKS DEPARTMENT The Parks Department continues to work on maintaining and improving our overall parks and trail system. There are 27 neighborhood/community parks including Ella Sharp Park. The Parks Department also strives to work with volunteers and organizations to add value to our community. We are actively involved in working with service groups such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Church Groups, and Garden Clubs on a variety of beautification efforts. PARK PROJECTS Ella Sharp Park Golf Course: Has begun a remolding project of the Ella Sharp Park Golf Clubhouse to be completed by spring of 2013. Ella Sharp Park: Is undergoing its first steps in an overall Park Master Plan to be completed in 2013. Bloomfield Park: Construction will begin in the spring of 2013. RECREATION The Jackson Recreation Department and
Jesse and Mo Adler, participants in Jackson County Fun Night at Ella Sharp Park
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City of Jackson
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Jackson Public Schools continue to provide recreation activities for youth, adults and seniors in the Jackson Community. We provide a variety of athletic, enrichment and special event programs throughout the year. Special events, youth and adult programs also had a successful year. Many of our participant numbers increased and we are looking forward to adding new programs throughout the next year. The Jackson Recreation Department believes in providing quality programs and facilities to the Jackson Community. You can pursue a variety of leisure activities, many of them are free and within walking distance of your home. For more information please check out our web page (jacksonparksandrec.org) or Facebook page under City of Jackson Parks, Recreation and Grounds. CEMETERY The City of Jackson own and operate Mt. Evergreen and Woodland Cemeteries, both are considered historical landmarks. Records of internments for both locations are maintained at Woodland Cemetery. Both Cemeteries are fully operational and typically perform about 100 funerals annually. For assistance with locating graves of those interred as well as purchase of available graves for funeral services, please call us at 788-4078.
2012 Annual Report
Finance Department
The City’s Finance Department handles all centralized accounting and finance functions of the City. These include responsibilities relating to the preparation of budgets, financial statements and audit schedules on a monthly and annual basis. In addition, the Finance department processes payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable on a regularly scheduled basis. The Department also serves as administrative staff for the City’s three pension plans whose net assets currently approximate $ 67 million. In recent years the Finance Department has also acted in an administrative oversight capacity for the City’s Management Information Systems Department, and, most recently, for water and sewer billing as well as the Public Works fiscal staff. A summary of activity during the year is as follows: Issued nearly 12,700 payroll checks to approximately 810 different employees (210 full time and 600 part-time) for a total payroll of approximately $ 18.8 million. Maintained records for approximately 348 pensioners with benefits payments of over $ 9.1 million. Issued over 5,600 accounts payable checks to vendors totaling nearly $ 58 million. Processed approximately 2,300 invoices for various City charges totaling approximately $ 5 million. The City of Jackson recently received the “Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting” for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011. This Certificate of Achievement is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for preparation of state and local government financial reports. In order to be awarded a Certificate of Achievement, a government unit must publish an easily readable and efficiently organized comprehensive annual financial report, whose contents conform to program standards. The City has received this award for twenty-one straight years. In 2002 the City was successful in upgrading its general obligation bond rating to the “A” category. This improved rating has saved thousands of dollars in interest charges on the bonds issued relating to the Consumers Energy Headquarters Project as well as several other new issues and refinancings since then. In December 2012, Standard & Poor’s affirmed the City’s “A-“rating on the City’s unlimited-tax and limited-tax general obligation bonds and upgraded the City’s outlook from “stable” to “positive”. This continued rating in the “A” category will enable the City to issue future debt at the lowest possible interest costs.
Purchasing
The Purchasing department works closely with other departments and businesses to procure quality products and services efficiently, cost effectively and in a timely manner. This office processed sealed bids for services, requests for proposals, agreement extensions, professional services agreements and quotations during 2012. Other functions and responsibilities include administering the procurement card program, mail room operations and the maintenance of City Hall and Grounds. You will find current bid invitations, quotes, plan holders, bid tabulations, vendor and commodity code classification registrations, pre-qualification information and sale of surplus equipment on the City’s website. Bidders are encouraged to sign up for bid notification by entering their e-mail address on the Purchasing page of the website. All businesses are welcome to register on the City’s website or visit the Purchasing department on the 10th floor of City Hall.
2011 Annual Report
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www.cityofjackson.org
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City of Jackson
Police & Fire Service
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ike so many government entities across the State of Michigan, the year saw a continued effort to manage services within the confines of an ever-declining budget. Consolidation of services, efficient utilization of resources, and a constant state of improvement were the common themes for 2012. A historical move took place with the consolidation of the administrative services of the police and fire departments. On October 23, 2012, the City Council approved the final adoption of an ordinance change which created the Director of Police and Fire Services. No longer will there be a police chief and a fire chief. The ordinance created a Director to oversee both organizations; currently that includes a Deputy Chief of Police and a Deputy Chief of Fire to oversee daily operations at the respective departments. After a reduction in force due to budget cuts, the fire department was awarded a SAFER grant from FEMA for $1.8 million. This supported hiring nine fire fighters for two years. We also prioritized our response protocols to medical calls and how we handled arcing power lines in 2011. This reprioritization resulted in a 9.3% reduction in overall calls, with a 13.9% reduction in medical calls. While the intricacies of this transformation will take some time to work through, the emphasis of providing the highest quality of service to the residents of Jackson will continue to be one of our primary focuses. The following data illustrates the volume of work performed throughout the year. Even in the environment of constant change, the men and women of the Jackson Police and Fire Departments continuously strive to provide professional services making Jackson a wonderful place to work, live and play.
Above Right: Representatives from Jackson and Summit Fire Departments who participate on the Michigan Urban Search and Rescue Team (MUSAR) train with ladders and ropes to make a “Ladder Gen,� or a makeshift tripod to assist with Confined Space Rescue. Members of the MUSAR Team respond to State and International disasters. This is yet another example of interagency cooperation, much like our Hazardous Materials Response Team.
Police Dept.
Fire Dept.
36,714
40,000
3000
30,000
2000
20,000
7309
10,000 0 Dispatches
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Tickets
1793
Arrests
1129
Crashes
1000
135
0 Medical Runs
Structure Fires
85
Other Fires
2012 Annual Report 2012 Annual Report
Department of Public Works Administration: Accounting, Utility Billing, and Water Meter Service & Reading The utility billing staff sent out 106,366 bills this year for water, sewer and storm water for a total amount of $11,339,017. The City Council created a storm water utility in April 2011 and the utility billing staff is continuing to bill residents for this fee. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants: The City of Jackson water and wastewater treatment plants are operated 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by certified operators and maintenance staff. The water treatment plant treats and softens the drinking water that is supplied to the residents and businesses of the City of Jackson and Blackman Township. In 2011-2012, the water treatment plant produced and delivered 2.89 billion gallons of safe drinking water to our customers. The water is tested daily in the City’s certified testing laboratory according to Environmental Protection Agency and State of Michigan regulations. The wastewater treatment plant provides service to the City of Jackson, as well as parts of Blackman, Napoleon, Spring Arbor, Sandstone, Rives, and
Summit townships, as well as the State Prison of Southern Michigan. The wastewater coming to the plant in fiscal year 2011-2012 averaged approximately 11.4 million gallons per day. Pollutants are removed from the wastewater throughout the treatment process, with the clean water being returned to the environment through a regulated outfall to the Grand River. Public Works: Streets, Sanitary and Storm Sewers, Water Distribution System and Motor Pool The street maintenance crews are responsible for maintaining including plowing and salting 100.85 miles of local streets, 54.27 miles of major streets and 8.07 miles of state highways in the city. As part of the storm water activities, streets are swept of leaves, dirt and debris in a continuous effort to keep the City clean. In the fall, leaf pick up crews moved an estimated 14,873 cubic yards of leaves and yard waste to the City’s compost site, where it is converted to usable topsoil. The water distribution crews are responsible for maintaining 244 miles of water main, 1,670 hydrants and 2,412 valves. This past year crews repaired 42 water main breaks, exercised 616 valves, replaced 18 valves, repaired 240 hydrants, and replaced 25 hydrants.
www.cityofjackson.org
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City of Jackson
Treasurer & Income Taxes
City Clerk’s Office
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he Treasurer/Income Tax office is on the first floor of City Hall. Business hours are Monday through Friday between 8:00 and 5:00. You may pay property taxes, income taxes, water bills and special assessments in our office, through the mail or on our website. Mr. Andrew (Randy) Wrozek is and has been our elected treasurer and income tax administrator for the past 30 years. He and his staff are dedicated to customer service and are cross-trained to accommodate citizens with all transactions and questions they may have about City government. Our office sends out over 16,000 real and personal property tax bills twice a year in the summer and the winter. Summer taxes may be paid in-full before the 31st of July or in equal installments by the 20th of each month, July through November. Winter taxes are payable in-full from December 1st through February 14th. Since 1970 the City of Jackson has had an Income Tax! All residents making over $600.00 must file and pay a 1% tax to the City. All non-residents working in the City must pay .005% tax on income earned. Businesses must pay a 1% tax. Income tax forms are sent in the mail to people who have filed the previous year. You may download a form from our website or obtain a form from our office or the library.
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C I T Y O F J AC K S O N
George Staudacher, Lisa Skalski, David Sykes, Shelly Morris, Julianne Rogers, Barbara Griffin, Kimberley Smith, Andrew Wrozek
The City Clerk’s office maintains the records of over 22,000 registered voters and, with the help of 100 + election inspectors, conducted 3 elections in 2012. This office issued annual business licenses and received payments for Administrative Hearings Bureau cases and invoices issued by all City departments. Monthly and daily permits for City parking lots and parking decks were sold and payments received for parking violations. All official city records are maintained in this office, which is also responsible for accepting claims, certifying resolutions and codifying ordinances. This office, in conjunction with the Election Commission, recommended a reapportionment plan to the City Council, which they adopted on January 10, 2012. This reapportionment of wards is done every ten years based on the U.S. decennial census and requires that notification of ward/precinct/districts changes be sent to all of the City’s registered voters.
2012 Annual Report
Revenues & Expenditures
CITY OF JACKSON OPERATING FUNDS' REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2012
Year Ended June 30, 2012 Revenues Expenditures
General Fund
$
20,253,138
$
19,448,989
Special Revenue Funds: Major Street Local Street Fund Ella W. Sharp Park Operating Fund Land Acquisition Fund Housing Initiative Fund Public Improvement Fund Building Department Fund Housing Code Enforcement Fund Building Demolitions Fund Budget Stabilization Fund Drug Law Enforcement Fund Police Grant Funds-Various Community Development Block Grant Funds Neighborhood Stabilization Grant Fund Brownfield Assessment Grant/RLF Funds Recreation Activity Fund Recreation Millage Program Fund
7,905,417 7,681,750 1,397,743 1,297,306 674,151 675,393 30,001 28,561 35 8,677 1,054,307 1,120,044 523,168 536,380 23,913 0 294,703 111,837 7,900 7,900 47,044 37,042 314,332 314,312 2,108,462 2,068,079 115,526 115,526 Operating Funds do not include Internal Service or Trust & Agency Funds. 27,223 27,223 Above amounts include transfers to and from other funds. 253,688 250,181 227,555 231,036 FISCAL YEAR 2012 OPERATING REVENUES 15,005,168 FUNDS' 14,511,247
Debt Service Funds: 2003 Michigan Transportation Fund Debt Service Fund 2003 City Hall Debt Service Fund Building Authority Debt Service Fund DDA TIF Debt Service Funds (excl. refunding) BRA TIF Debt Service Funds (excl. refunding) Section 108 Loan
283,010 660,561 132,910 167,072 864,875 65,000 2,173,427 Enterprise Funds
283,010 658,303 132,910 379,162 Property Taxes 862,71912% 65,000 2,381,104
29%
Capital Project Funds: Capital Projects Fund Brownfield Redeveloment Authority Fund Downtown Development Authority Project Fund Special Assessment Capital Project Fund
Enterprise Funds:
Ella W. Sharp Park Golf Practice Center Fund Automobile Parking System Fund Parking Assessment Fund Stormwater Utility Parking Deck Fund Sewage Fund ting Funds do not include Internal Service or Trust & Agency Funds. Water Fund
337,110 1,204,580 1,038,975 223,210 2,803,874
Debt Service & Capital Project63,150 Funds 24,482 9% 113,834
Total Operating Funds
$
57,058,330
Income Taxes 13%
$
General Fu 36%
Intergovernmental 7% Transfers/Other 4%
62,004 27,712 100,908 888,296 Special Revenue 502,884 Funds 5,801,497 26% 5,916,383 13,299,684
1,258,699 260,006 7,058,187 8,044,365 16,822,723
amounts include transfers to and from other funds.
L YEAR 2012 OPERATING FUNDS' REVENUES
340,570 1,021,902 373,802 343,536 2,079,810
51,720,834
FISCAL YEAR 2012 OPERATING FUNDS' EXPENDITURES
NOTE:
Fiscal Year 2012 Operating Funds’ Revenues
Fiscal Year 2012 Operating Funds’ Expenditures Property Taxes Property Taxes 12%
12%
EnterpriseFunds Funds Enterprise 29% 29%
General Fund Income Taxes 36% 13% General Fu
Enterprise Enterprise Funds Funds 26% 26%
PublicSafety Safety Public 24% 24%
Income Taxes 13%
General Fund General Fund 37%37%
36%
Intergovernmental Intergovernmental 7% 7%
Debt Service Service && Debt Capital Project Capital Project Funds Funds 9% 9%
Transfers/Other Transfers/Other 4% 4%
Special Special Revenue Revenue Funds Funds 26% 26%
Note: • Operating Funds do not include Internal Service or Trust & Agency Funds • Above amountsOPERATING include transfers to and from otherEXPENDITURES funds. L YEAR 2012 FUNDS'
General Government General Government 8%8% Public Works Public Works 1% 1%
Debt DebtService Service&& Capital CapitalProject Project Funds Funds 9% 9%
Recreation/Other Recreation/Other 4% 4%
Special Revenue Special FundsFunds Revenue 28% 28%
www.cityofjackson.org
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