Fairfax City's outlook for the coming budget year is "cautiously optimistic," though council members have to contend with a hike in the school tuition bill and a less-than-ideal economy.

A few FY2013 forecast highlights:

• There is a $7 million general fund deficit. That's if the city keeps the current tax rate.
• The city used about $3.7 million in appropriated funds to balance the FY2012 budget. Fairfax won't have that this time around.
• Fairfax County's initial school tuition estimate is $6 million more than last year's. 
• Fairfax has seen a slight increase in the real estate market, better than the city had projected. The city expects flat or very slight increases in sales and business license revenues.
• Continued significant decrease in federal aid.
• City staff expects the capital improvement cost to go up an additional $1 million.
• About $884,000 needed for employee compensation and fringe benefits.
• Don't expect to add any new positions unless there's a benefit to the city's revenue in the near future. City might decide to leave positions unfilled.
• Council members can decide to cut services, raise taxes and eliminate employee compensation increases to help balance the budget.

Patch will follow the budget process throughout the winter months and into April.

To start off, we'll look at what kinds of capital improvement projects (one-time, major expenses) city departments are asking for. The city's Planning Commission is revising the Five-Year CIP Plan that outlines a wishlist of major projects and when (if ever) they could be implemented between 2013 and 2017.

There is $4 million in CIP projects that the city would like to see added to the upcoming 2013 budget. City staff expects that figure to be halved.

Check back tomorrow for more information.

If you want to watch city staff go over their FY2013 budget expectations, check out the video footage from the Nov. 8 City Council meeting and the Nov. 28 Planning Commission meeting. You can find both here.