FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    Jim Lewin, Lee County Budget Services
                (941) 335-2336

FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 23, 2002) – Lee County Government has posted its Fiscal Year 2001-02 Budget Book – a 320-page publication of how the county spends taxpayer dollars – on the Internet.

The link to the budget is at www.lee-county.com under Lee County Documents Online

The budget book takes three months to compile and is the culmination of an annual budget process that begins in March, with public workshops held during the summer and two final budget hearings in September. The county’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The county’s Budget Book has received the "Distinguished Budget Presentation Award" from the Government Finance Officers Association for the last 16 years.

New this year are bookmarks that automatically pop up and allow users to easily locate what sections and tables they are looking for. The online book is divided into the following categories:

   A. Budget Message from the County Manager/Users Guide

 

   B. Budget Summary

Includes color charts with current and historical information.

 

   C. Financial Policy

Includes policies regarding the budget, revenue, appropriation and fund types.

 

   D. Services By Organization

Includes organizational structure and responsibilities of County departments, actual expenditures for FY1999-2000, estimated for FY2000-2001 and the budget for FY2001-2002.

 

   E. Capital Improvement Program/Long Term Debt

 

Includes detailed presentation of capital improvement program and debt activity.

 

   F. Budget By Function

Includes department summary according to Activity and Fund Type Categories established by the State of Florida.

 

   G. Appendices

Includes discussion of Fund Structure, Budgetary Accounting Policy, Budget Process and Glossary of Terms.