As to each budget, original or supplemental, the county excise board shall proceed in the following order: (1) Examine the financial statements contained therein for the purpose of ascertaining the true fiscal condition of each of the several fund accounts of the municipality as of the close of the previous fiscal year, or as of the date reported for supplemental purposes; and it may require such additional statistics or financial statements from the municipal officers as will enable it to make such determination, and correct such statements if need be. (2) Examine specifically the several items and amounts stated in the estimate of needs, and if any be contained therein not authorized by law or that may be contrary to law, or in excess of needs, as determined by the excise board, said item shall be ordered stricken and disregarded. If the amount as to any lawful item exceeds the amount authorized by law, it shall be ordered reduced to that extent; otherwise, the excise board joins in responsibility therefor. (3) Examine the content of the estimate of needs, and if the governing board has failed to make provision for mandatory governmental functions, whether such mandate be of the Constitution or of the Legislature, or if the provision submitted by estimate be deemed inadequate, the county excise board shall, whether on request in writing by the officer charged with a mandatory duty or of its own volition, prepare an estimate by items and amounts, either by the items submitted or by additional items, and cause publication thereof in some newspaper of general circulation in the county, in one issue if published in a weekly paper, and in two consecutive issues if published in a daily paper, and thereafter attach such estimate, together with affidavit and proof of publication, to that submitted by the governing board, for further consideration. However, nothing herein contained shall prevent any governing board, upon a timely finding that its estimate of needs as first filed is inadequate, from filing a written request with the excise board to increase such estimate as to any item or items, whether mandatory or not; whereupon the excise board shall cause publication thereof, as aforesaid, at the expense of the municipality. (4) Compute the total means available to each fund, except the sinking fund, by the converse of the formula provided by law for computing the tax levy, as provided in Section 3017 of this Code. (5) If the total of the several items of estimated needs for lawful purposes as heretofore ascertained is within the income and revenue lawfully available, the excise board shall approve the same by items and compute the levy required. If said total exceeds the means provided to finance the same, the excise board will proceed to revise the same by reducing items, in whole or in part, in the following order: (a) first apply such revision by reduction of items for governmental functions merely authorized but not required; (b) if further reduction be necessary, second, by reduction of items required by the Legislature but not within Constitutional requirement; (c) if still further reduction be necessary and no other items remain, third, by reduction of items for Constitutional governmental functions until the total thereof be within the income and revenue provided. At the option of the excise board, the governing board may collaborate in such reductions; but the final order shall be that of the county excise board. Laws 1965, c. 501, § 2; Laws 1979, c. 26, § 2, emerg. eff. April 3, 1979. Renumbered from § 2487 by Laws 1988, c. 162, § 163, eff. Jan. 1, 1992 and Laws 1991, c. 249, § 3, eff. Jan. 1, 1992. Amended by
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