Difference between revisions of "GPCA Bylaws Draft Fiscal Policy"

Revision as of 02:26, 11 April 2011

Section 7-2. Finance Committee

7-2.1 Duties and Authority

The Finance Committee is charged with overseeing the financial operations of the GPCA. This includes working with the Treasurer to:

a) Collect county dues and any other moneys owed to the GPCA;

b) Facilitate the allocation and disbursement of funds;

c) Provide quarterly financial reports to the CC;

d) Provide an annual budget report to the General Assembly;

e) Provide any official reporting required by the State of California;

f) Provide assistance for GPCA fundraising activities.

7-2.2 Ex Officio Member

The Treasurer is an ex officio member of the Finance Committee.

creation of the

FISCAL POLICY OF THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA

ARTICLE I: BUDGET

Section 1-1 Budget Committee

1-1.1 A permanent Budget Committee shall be composed of four members: two from the Finance Committee and two from the Coordinating Committee. Finance Committee members shall include the state treasurer and one at-large member. The state treasurer shall serve for the duration of his/her tenure as treasurer. The at-large member shall serve for a non-repeating terms of one year. Coordinating Committee members shall include the Coordinating Committee liaison to the Finance Committee and one at-large member. The liaison to the Finance Committee shall serve on the budget working group for the duration of his/her tenure as liaison. The at-large member shall serve for a non-repeating term of one year.

1-1.2 During the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, the Budget Committee shall determine the total amount of funds to be made available for next fiscal year’s annual budget.

Section 1-2 Submitting budget requests

1-2.1 Existing state committees and working groups established by the Green Party of California shall submit the Request for Budget form to any member of the Coordinating Committee no later than the end of the third quarter of the fiscal year. Requests shall include the amount anticipated to cover annual expenses of the group for the next fiscal year.

1-2.2 State committees and working groups formed during the fiscal year shall complete and submit a request for Budget form to any member of the Coordinating Committee immediately following the first meeting of the committee or working group. Requests shall include the amount anticipated to cover expenses of the group for the remainder of the current fiscal year. If the first meeting of the group is after the end of the third quarter of the fiscal year, the group shall also submit a Request for Budget form the next fiscal year.

1-2.3 Request for Budget forms for annual budgets received by any member of the Coordinating Committee shall be forwarded to a member of the Budget Committee prior to the annual budget allocation meeting.

1-2.4 Requesting a budget for all expenditures related to statewide mailings or the hosting of statewide meetings shall be the responsibility of the Coordinating Committee.

1-2.5 Requests for out-of-budget emergency funds may be made at any time, subject to availability of funds. Refer to paragraph 7-2.10 below.

Section 1-3 Allocating the budget

1-3.1 During the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, the Budget Committee shall conduct a meeting to allocate the annual budget to the groups from which a Request for Budget from has been received. The allocation meeting may be concurrent with the meeting to determine the total amount of funds available for the next fiscal year’s annual budget.

1-3.2 In no case may the total allocated to various groups exceed the total amount determined for the fiscal year budget.

1-1.3 The approved fiscal year's budget must maintain a prudent reserve (accumulated surplus plus revenue less expenditures), as established by the Finance Committee.

Section 1-4 Approving the budget

1-4.1 On the first day of the first meeting of the General Assembly following the budget allocation by the Budget Committee, the General Assembly shall approve the annual budget for the next fiscal year. The first proposal shall be to consent to the entire state budget. If the proposal to approve the entire budget fails, consensus shall be attempted for those line item(s) in the budget for which there are unresolved concerns.

1-4.2 The state treasurer is empowered to disburse funds up to the limit of the approved budget for each group upon receipt of the properly completed Request for Payment forms.

ARTICLE II: EXPENDITURES

Section 2-1 Requesting Expenditures

2-1.1 State Committees and working groups shall submit a Request for Payment form to the state treasurer. The form must be signed by the coordinator of the working group. The Coordinating Committee shall designate an individual to sign a Request for Payment form on behalf of the Coordinating Committee.

2-1.2 Requesting expenditures related to statewide mailings or the hosting of statewide meetings shall be the responsibility of the Coordinating Committee.

2-1.3 For expenses to be reimbursed from the state treasurer, the form must be accompanied by copies of receipts for all expenses incurred. For funds requested in advance of expenditure, the form must specify the purpose of the disbursement.

Section 2-2 Disbursing the funds

2-2.1 Immediately upon receipt of a properly executed Request for Payment form, the state treasurer shall issue a check for the amount indicated to the payee designated in the form.

2-2.2 In no case may the treasurer issue funds in excess of the amount allocated to the group for the fiscal year. Funds requested in excess of the annual budget amount shall be subject to the Emergency Funding provisions; refer to 1-8 below.

Section 2-3 Reporting expenditures

Following each check issued on behalf of a state committee or working group, the state treasurer shall issue a brief statement to the coordinator of the group stating the amount of funds disbursed fiscal year to date and the remaining budget allocation. In the case of the Coordinating Committee, the statement shall be given to the liaison to the Finance Committee.

Section 2-4 Emergency funding

2-4.1 The treasurer shall report any Request for Payment which is in excess of a group’s budgeted amount to the Coordinating Committee for action.

2-4.1 The Coordinating Committee may request emergency funding directly from the state treasurer for any state committee or working group.

2-4.3 In an emergency, the Coordinating Committee may consense to approve an expenditure of funds on behalf of the General Assembly. Any funds disbursed under this provision must be reported to the plenary session on the first day of the next meeting of the General Assembly.

Section 2 Prioritization of Expenditures

When drawing from the General Operating Account, the GPCA shall satisfy its legal and contractual obligations first, and shall prioritize its operating expenditures in the following order:

2-1 Staff payroll, payroll taxes, and benefits;

2-2 Office rent and utilities;

2-3 Server Hosting, Server Backup, State phone, State Post Office box;

2-4 Independent contractors;

2-5 Vendors that are indispensable to operations;

2-6 Expenditures with a reasonable expectation of a return on investment in a short period of time; and

2-7 Other budgeted expenditures.

ARTICLE III DONORS BILL OF RIGHTS

Donors to the GPCA shall have the right:

3-1 To be informed of the GPCA purpose, of the way the Party intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use such donations effectively for their intended purposes;

3-2 To be informed of the identity of those serving on the National Committee and to expect the National Committee to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities;

3-3 To have access to the GPUS' most recent financial statements;

3-4 To be assured their donations will be used for the purposes for which they were given. If the GPCA cannot comply with donor intentions, nor negotiate for a different purpose, the gift must be returned to the donor;

3-5 To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition;

3-6 To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by the law;

3-7 To expect that all relationships with individuals representing the GPUS to the donor will be professional in nature;

3-8 To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of GPUS or independent contractors; and

3-9 To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.