Some good financial news will likely be delivered tonight to the Rome City Commission.

In his annual State of the City address, City Manager John Bennett said he would discuss the financial trends the city has been through in the past 10 years and how 2012 fits into that.

“We still haven’t finalized it, but it does appear revenue will exceed expenditures in the general fund for last year,” Bennett said. “This will be the third year in row we’ve been able to say that.”

After spending more than what was brought in during both 2008 and 2009, with 2009 being the worst according to Bennett, the city’s budget looks to be recovering.

The commission’s regular meeting will be conducted at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 601 Broad St. The board caucuses at 5 p.m. and both sessions are open to the public.

Bennett said he would also talk about the projects that were completed and worked on during 2012, and some of the projects on the docket for 2013.

The City Commission will also have a second reading of an alcohol ordinance amendment that was passed by the Alcohol Control Commission. It would authorize the city to levy of monetary fine for violations that occur at establishments with alcohol licenses.

If the City Commission passes the ordinance, fines as high as $2,000 could be levied against businesses instead of, or in addition to, current penalties.

Rome City Clerk Joe Smith has asked the board to consider Georgia House Bill 143, which proposes a change to the state’s campaign contribution filing requirements.

If adopted by the General Assembly, the bill would return oversight of these filings back to the local level instead of the State Ethics Commission.

It would also streamline the process by exempting candidates and elected officials from filing campaign disclosure reports if they raise or spend less than $2,500 in a calendar year.

Click to see a Commission agenda.