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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Mayor Tony George will present his proposed 2019 general fund budget Monday morning at City Hall.</p><p>His presentation, scheduled for 10 a.m. in the fourth-floor city council chambers, will be open to the public.</p><p>City Administrator Ted Wampole on Thursday declined to discuss budget specifics and said the administration is &#8220;putting the finishing touches&#8221; on the spending plan that requires approval by city council before it can take effect.</p><p>The city&#8217;s Charter requires the mayor to submit next year&#8217;s budget to council by Oct. 15 each year, and to deliver an accompanying message. In it he must give an explanation of the expenditures and revenues and indicate major changes, such as &#8220;new, expanded or abolished programs&#8221; from the current $49.4 million balanced budget.</p><p>The message also must contain a summary of the city&#8217;s debt position and &#8220;other material that will inform the council and the public of municipal goals.&#8221;</p><p>Council must hold a public hearing on the budget by Dec. 1, according to the Charter. Council can approve the budget as it is presented or amend it. If the amendments increase, decrease or readjust the budget by more than 5 percent, it goes back to the mayor for his review and re-submission to council and another public hearing.</p><p>The Charter sets a deadline of Dec. 31 for council to approve the budget. If it fails to do so by the end of the year, the budget last submitted by the mayor goes into effect. </p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">As he did last year, Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, seen here, will deliver his annual budget address Monday in City Hall. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Budget.cmyk_.jpg</photo0><caption0>As he did last year, Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, seen here, will deliver his annual budget address Monday in City Hall. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Mayor will speak at 10 a.m. Monday</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre Mayor George to present 2019 budget proposal next week