Sec. 351.145. FISCAL YEAR; ANNUAL AUDIT; ANNUAL BUDGET. (a) The district shall be operated on the basis of a fiscal year established by the board. The fiscal year may not be changed more than once in a 24-month period.

(b) Annually, the board shall have an audit made of the financial condition of the district.

(c) The board shall prepare and approve an annual budget. The budget must contain a complete financial statement, including a statement of the:

(1) outstanding obligations of the district;

(2) amount of cash on hand to the credit of each fund of the district;

(3) amount of money received by the district from all sources during the previous year;

(4) amount of money estimated to be available to the district from all sources during the ensuing year;

(5) amount of the balances expected at the end of the year in which the budget is being prepared;

(6) estimated amount of revenues and balances available to cover the proposed budget; and

(7) estimated tax rate that will be required.

(d) The board shall hold a public hearing on the annual budget. Before the 10th day before the date set for the hearing, the board must publish notice of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the district.

(e) Any person who owns land or resides in the district is entitled to be present at and participate in the hearing.

(f) At the conclusion of the hearing, the board shall act on the budget and may make changes in the proposed budget that in its judgment the interests of the taxpayers demand.

(g) After the annual budget is adopted, the board may amend the budget.

(h) Money may not be spent for an expense not included in the annual budget or an amendment to it.

(i) As soon as practicable after the close of the fiscal year, the general manager shall prepare for the board a sworn statement of the amount of money that belongs to the district and an account of the disbursements of that money.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1, Sec. 74(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989.