Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of $10,000.00 from the Emergency Human Services Fund to the Department of Development, Neighborhood Services Division, for the purpose of entering into a grant agreement with the United Way of Central Ohio, as the fiscal agent of The Franklin County EITC Coalition, to support their coordination of the 2008 tax season Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program.
Emergency action is requested so that program services can be available at the beginning of the tax season.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for the grant are allocated from the FY2008 Emergency Human Services Fund.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $10,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the Emergency Human Services Fund to the Department of Development; to approve the grant application of Franklin County EITC Coalition and United Way of Central Ohio; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement to provide emergency grant assistance to the United Way of Central Ohio, as the fiscal agent for Franklin County EITC Coalition, for support of their work in coordinating the 2008 tax-year Earned Income Tax Credit program; to authorize the expenditure of $10,000.00 from the Emergency Human Services Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Chair of Columbus City Council's Heath, Housing and Human Services Committee to appropriate funds from the unappropriated balance of the Emergency Human Services Fund and to distribute these funds to the Franklin County EITC Coalition, via their fiscal agent the United Way of Central Ohio, to support their coordination of the 2008 tax-season Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 371.02(c) of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, City Council is authorized to allocate funds annually to assist social service agencies in the city with the emergency costs of delivering programs; and
WHEREAS, City Council has reviewed the grant application of the Franklin County EITC Coalition and United Way of Central Ohio and hereby declares that they have articulated a need for Emergency Human Services Operating funds that is sufficient to justify approval of said grants; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus and Columbus City Council Office have been active leaders in the local EITC program for over seven years; and
WHEREAS, Franklin County EITC Coalition and United Way of Central Ohio, as their fiscal agent, is allowing the City to reduce duplication of efforts and maximize resources by coordinating the 2008 tax-season EITC effort; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of Emergency Human Services Funds and to enter into an agreement with the Franklin County EITC Coalition and United Way of Central Ohio to provide emergency grant assistance so that program services can be available at the beginning of the tax-season, all for the preservation of public health, peace, property and safety, NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the grant application of United Way of Central Ohio, on behalf of the Franklin County EITC Coalition, seeking financial assistance to address emergency human service needs pursuant to Section 371.02 (c) of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, is hereby approved.
Section 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the Emergency Human Services Fund, and from any and all sources unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, the sum of $10,000.00 be and is hereby appropriated to the Department of Development, Department No. 44-05, Fund 232, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 445205.
Section 3. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized and directed to provide emergency grant assistance totaling $10,000.00 to the United Way of Central Ohio, as the fiscal agent for Franklin County EITC Coalition, for support of their work in coordinating the 2008 tax-year Earned Income Tax Credit program.
Section 4. That the expenditures authorized herein are in accordance with Section 371.02 (c) of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
Section 5. That for the purpose as stated in Section 3, the expenditure of $10,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Emergency Human Services Fund, Department of Development, Department No. 44-05, Fund 232, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 445205.
Section 6. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof the 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 the passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.