Christina Jedra

The News Journal

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki will deliver his first budget address at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Purzycki will announce his proposals for city revenue, including property tax and water and sewer rates. The budget will also indicate his priorities in terms of public safety, public works and city finances.

The address kicks off a major step in the city budget process. Since Purzycki took office in January, city department leaders have met with the mayor and the office of management and budget to review their strategic plans and staffing requests.

From April to May, the City Council finance committee will hold a series of public hearings with each city department in "in which funding levels are scrutinized and in-depth question-and-answer sessions are held," according to the city's outline of the budget process.

Copies of the proposed budget book should be available to the public at these meetings.

During this time, the Wilmington Economic and Financial Advisory Council will meet to certify the city’s revenue projections. Created in 1994, the council is made up of ten members appointed by the mayor -- business, academic, and financial leaders with multifaceted expertise and experience, according to the city. The group's primary functions are to advise the mayor on revenue projections and trends, and to provide a sounding board on issues of urban economics, the city said. City Council cannot alter the mayor's revenue budget projections.

City Council must approve a balanced budget by June 1.

Contact Christina Jedra at (302) 324-2837, cjedra@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @ChristinaJedra.