City COVID-19 Costs Are Fully Reimbursable / Overtime Report

One of the purposes of this blog is to document local pandemic information and events. This piece focuses on the city's reimbursable COVID-19 related costs. In addition, sales tax due to development / construction is significant and reported. BY 

October, 2021: Revenue, $17.9 M above target.  Through November, 2021:  Sales tax, $6.7 M above target on development activities. 

Key highlights from the Quarterly Overtime Report through September 2021 include:

 · Citywide overtime costs are 74.7% of budget versus a 37.5% target for the biennium primarily due to unanticipated overtime related to Fire and Police response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Excluding the pandemic related costs, which are fully reimbursable, citywide overtime costs are 64.5% of budget.

· Fire Department overtime costs are 84.5% of budget versus a 37.5% target for the biennium primarily due to response activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, King County Medic One services, and Fire Academy/Paramedic training. Excluding the pandemic-related costs, which are fully reimbursable, Fire Department overtime costs are 72.2% of budget. Looking at regular salaries and overtime together, excluding costs which are fully reimbursable, total costs are 38.8% of budget.

· Police Department overtime costs are 66.1% of budget versus a 37.5% target for the biennium primarily due to response activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, investigations of sensitive criminal cases, and recruitment and testing for vacancies of commissioned positions. Excluding the pandemic-related costs, which are fully reimbursable, Police Department overtime costs are 47.5% of budget.

-- Committee of the Whole, Finance, Administration and Communications, 10/2021

Posted by Bob Yoder, 3/11/2022

General Fund  

· Total revenues are 26.4%, or $26.6 million, above target.

 · Sales tax is 85.9%, or $23.7 million, above target primarily due to the high level of development activity. Ongoing sales tax is 24.0%, or $6.1 million, above target. 

·Citywide overtime costs are 101.9% of budget versus a 50.0% target for the biennium primarily due to Fire and Police response activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Excluding the pandemic-related costs, which are fully reimbursable, citywide overtime costs are 92.0% of budget. 

· Fire Department overtime costs are 112.4% of budget versus a 50.0% target for the biennium primarily due to response activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, King County Medic One services, and Fire Academy/Paramedic training. Excluding the pandemic costs, which are fully reimbursable, Fire Department overtime costs are 100.7% of budget. Looking at regular salaries and overtime together, excluding costs which are fully reimbursable, total costs are 52.9% of budget. · 

Police Department overtime costs are 74.7% of budget versus a 50.0% target for the biennium primarily due to response activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, investigations of sensitive criminal cases, and recruitment and testing for vacancies of commissioned positions. Excluding the pandemic-related costs, which are fully reimbursable, Police Department overtime costs are 66.7% of budget.