City’s mid-year finances, the budgetary impact of charter schools, and the City’s lobbyist registration program

From Sam Zurier's January 31, 2016 Ward Letter

On January 25, the administration submitted a Report describing government’s performance against budget through the end of the second quarter of the fiscal year (December 31, 2015).  It includes several adjustments to the original budget, which when combined leave the budget more than $200,000 ahead of its original “bottom line.”
...
On January 26, the Education Committee met to discuss the financial interaction between charter schools and school districts...  The  Education Committee reviewed an Analysis of high school sports, estimating that support of charter school student-athletes costs the Providence Public Schools approximately $800 per student-athlete... This year, the School Department’s budget includes $15.1 million in “tuition” payments to charter schools.  In 2012, the Internal Auditor published a Report estimating that the School Department recovered (in “marginal cost” savings) less than half the money it lost to the charter schools.
...
In 2013, Providence became the first Rhode Island city to adopt a lobbyist registration program, a major advance in open government.  The Clerk’s Office maintains a Database of 34 lobbyists and quarterly reports they submit.