*Major Funds
SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
What are Special Revenue Funds?
Special Revenue Funds are a group of accounts established by a government for restricted use to ensure that certain revenue sources are used or earmarked only for their specific purpose. This Special Revenue Fund type may be used to account for the proceeds of specific revenue sources that are legally restricted or restricted by City Council policy for a specified purpose. *The Inclusionary Housing Fund is a special revenue fund used to account for in lieu impact fees restricted in use to inclusionary housing purposes.
*The Low-Income Housing Fund is a fund which was established to conduct the dissolution operations related to low-income housing assets and activities of the former Redevelopment Agency.
Grants Fund is used to account for the construction of projects that utilize federal, state, regional, and local grants funds other than CDBG. City staff applies for and receives competitive funding grants for various City projects that meet specific criteria.
Gas Taxes Fund accounts for funds received from the City of Cotati's share of the Highway Users Tax collected by the State from gasoline sales. The Highway Users Tax is also known as the "Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax" and "Gasoline Excise Tax." Proceeds are restricted to the operation and maintenance of city streets.
Bed Tax is a building permit fee which is required to be used for the acquisition, improvement, expansion, and maintenance of public parks, playgrounds, open spaces, recreation facilities, and community facilities.
The Park In-Lieu Fee Fund accounts for funds received from development and used for park development and improvements as specified in the fee program.
MTC Street Fund is utilized for revenues received for transportation and street programs and funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) or the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA). The MTC is the transportation planning, financing, and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. In November of 2004, Sonoma County passed the Traffic Relief Act (Measure M) which provides 0.25% sales tax that is used to maintain local streets, accelerate the widening of Highway 101, restore, and enhance transit services, support the development of passenger rail service, and build safe bicycle and pedestrian routes. The Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) administers sales tax receipts and distributions of the Sonoma County Measure M revenues. In 2020, voters in Sonoma County approved a measure to extend Measure M sales tax funding for an additional 20 years, known as “Go Sonoma”.
Traffic Mitigation Fund accounts for funds received from development and used for street improvements as specified in the fee program.
Road Maintenance Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) Fund is used to account for funding received from the State related to Senate Bill 1 - The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. This fuel tax, which began on November 1, 2017, is to be used to fund local streets and road maintenance and rehabilitation projects including streets, traffic signals, and drainage improvements.
Landscape and Lighting Funds account for funds received through parcel tax assessments that are used for the purpose of financing the maintenance costs and improvement expenses of each district's landscaping and lighting zones.
*Major Funds
Public Safety Fund accounts for the Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) program and other Public Safety related grants. The COPS program provides funding to local agencies for the purpose of public safety. The funds are to supplement and not supplant existing funding for front line services.
K-9 Program accounts for funds received from private donations that are utilized for the Police Department K-9 program which provides for police officers safety, narcotics enforcement, and community relations.
Affordable Housing-Linkage accounts for a fee charged to developers, which is then spent on affordable housing preservation or production.
PEG Grant Fund accounts for Public Education and Government access (PEG) grant funding special funds that are received by the City to support public, educational, and government transparency by broadcasting public meetings.
Community Facilities District Fund accounts for financing district that provides for funding specific facilities and services related to growth and development.
Parks Measure M Accounts for funds received as a pass through from the County Measure M Sales Tax to be used for the purpose of park improvements.
In-Lieu Tree Fund accounts for the funds received for tree replacements and repurposes the funds to replace trees within the City.
Disability Access and Education Revolving Fund represents a mandatory state fee assessed on business licenses that is to be used by the jurisdiction for the purpose of supporting accessibility training.
Veterans Building accounts for the collaborative agreement with Sonoma County for the City’s management of the Veterans building.
INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS
What is an Internal Service Fund?
According to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), an internal service fund is any fund that is used to account for the financing of goods or services provided by one department or agency, to other departments or agencies of the governmental unit, or to other governmental units, on a cost reimbursement basis. Currently, the City utilizes two such funds for these purposes. The Vehicle Replacement Fund (501) and the Compensated Absences Fund (502).
The Vehicle Replacement Fund accounts for vehicle replacement costs provided to other departments or other agencies of the government on a cost reimbursement basis.
The Compensated Absences Fund accounts for compensated absence costs provided to other departments or other agencies of the government on a cost reimbursement basis.