Code of Alabama
Part 5 - Budget.
Section 45-37A-52.123 - Scope of General Fund Budget.

The general fund budget shall include only the net amounts estimated to be received from or to be appropriated to each public utility. The general fund budget shall be prepared in accordance with accepted principles of municipal accounting and budgetary procedure and techniques, and shall show:
(1) Such portion of the general fund cash surplus as it is estimated shall exist, at the end of the current fiscal year, and is proposed to be used for meeting expenditures in the general fund budget for the ensuing year.
(2) An estimate of the receipts from current ad valorem taxes on real estate and tangible personal property during the ensuing fiscal year, assuming that the percentage of the levy collected be no greater than the average percentage of the levy collected in the last three completed tax years.
(3) An estimate of receipts from all other sources of revenue, provided that the estimated receipts from each such source shall not exceed the percentage of estimated revenue in the current fiscal year from the same source, over the amount of the revenue received from the same source, in the last completed fiscal year, unless a law or ordinance under which revenue from any source is derived, has been amended or a new source of revenue has been provided by law or ordinance, in the course of the current year, in which case the estimated receipts from that source may be fixed by the mayor. If additional revenue is to be derived from the state, the amount fixed by the mayor shall not exceed the amount which the proper state official shall certify in writing to be the reasonable expectation of receipts from such source.
(4) A statement to be furnished by the director of finance of the debt service requirements for the ensuing year.
(5) An estimate of the general fund cash deficit, if any, at the end of the current fiscal year and of any other obligations required by law to be budgeted for the ensuing fiscal year.
(6) An estimate of expenditures and appropriations for all other purposes to be met from the general fund in the ensuing fiscal year. All the estimates shall be in detail showing receipts by sources and expenditures by operating units, character, and object, so arranged as to show receipts and expenditures as estimated for the current fiscal year and actual receipts and expenditures for the last preceding fiscal year, in comparison with estimated receipts and recommended expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year.