Explanation
Background:
Ordinance 0688-2008 authorized the City Auditor to appropriate and transfer funds within the Permanent Improvement Fund 748 for the Income Tax E-Payment project for acquiring capital improvement equipment and products used to provide electronic data and document management. As a result of better than anticipated pricing when items were bid, re-allocation of other resources, and other cost saving measures, $37,067.12 remained on AC028456-001. These funds are no longer needed for this project, but the Division of Income Tax and the City Attorney's Office has additional needs for improving data management efforts for delinquency collections.
Income Tax collects and matches data with the IRS to ensure accurate filings. In order to utilize this program, the system must meet stringent IRS regulations for logging activity. Currently, there is a need to increase the storage capacity to load more recent data. Additionally, Income Tax attempts to collect revenue due to the City of Columbus, such as Income Tax and Hotel/Motel Tax, and refers delinquencies to the City Attorney's office for additional collection efforts. The City Attorney enters claim information into an Income Tax Claims tracking system that is part of the Income Tax system database and is supported by the Department of Technology. System improvements are needed to enhance the ability to track judgments obtained by the City Attorney. Both these enhancements will assist the City in better identifying, locating, and collecting unpaid Income and Hotel/Motel taxes still owed to the City.
The purpose of this legislation is to enable the Office of the City Auditor and the Division of Income Tax to appropriate and transfer $37,067.01 wihtin the General Permanent Improvement Fund 748 to purchase additional storage, software, hardware, services, and any related products necessary to enhance office operations and effectively collect monies due to the City. All items to be purchased will be processed via the standard bidding processes, Purchasing Office UTC contracts, or obtained through internal services with the Department of Technology.
Fiscal Impact:
This legislation will use existing funding made possible through the cancellation of the remaining balance of $37,067.12 on AC028456-001 in the General Permanent Improvement Fund 748.
Title
To appropriate and transfer $37,067.12 between projects within the General Permanent Improvement Fund and to authorize the expenditure of $37,067.12 from the General Permanent Improvement Fund for Income Tax System Improvements; and to declare an emergency ($37,067.12).
Body
WHEREAS, by providing improvements to Tax systems, the Office of the City Auditor, the Division of Income Tax, and the City Attorney's Office will be able to locate and track delinquencies more effectively and efficiently, and
WHEREAS, the City Auditor, the Division of Income Tax, and City Attorney's Office are in need of various capital improvement equipment, products, and services which will be utilized for Income Tax systems improvements;
WHEREAS, it is necessary to appropriate these funds for the purpose of performing these capital improvements; now, therefore:
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual operation of the Office of the Auditor, Division of Income Tax to improve data collection efforts for delinquency collections as well as preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; there is an immediate need to transfer and appropriate funding for the purpose of purchasing capital improvement equipment; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to cancel the remaining balance of AC028456-001 in General Permanent Improvement Fund 748 Project 470034-100000.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer $37,067.12 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund 748 as follows:
From
Project 470034-100000 Income Tax E-payment Engine, Dept 22, OCA 748750, OL3 6649 Amount $37,067.12
To
Project number 220002-100001, Tax System Capital Equipment, Dept 22, OCA 220641, OL3 6649 Amount $12,000.00
Project number 220002-100002, Tax System Capital Equipment, Dept 22, OCA 220642, OL3 6655 Amount $25,067.12
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to expend from the General Permanent Improvement Fund 748 as follows:
Project number 220002-100001, Tax System Capital Equipment, Dept 22, OCA 220641, OL3 6649 Amount $12,000.00
Project number 220002-100002, Tax System Capital Equipment, Dept 22, OCA 220642, OL3 6655 Amount $25,067.12
SECTION 4. That all funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modification associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.