Title
Discussion of Options for Public Input to the Budget Process
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Being developed.
City Manager's Recommendation:
Review the past opportunities and discuss how staff and the Council can provide more opportunities for the public to understand and comment on the City's operating budget.
Report
Issue:
How can the budget committee and the Council provide more options for the public to be involved in the budget process?
Staff Contact:
Steve Hall, City Manager, 360.753.8447
Jane Kirkemo, Administrative Services Director, 360.753.8499
Presenter(s):
Steve Hall, City Manager
Jane Kirkemo, Administrative Services Director
Background and Analysis:
Over the last decade, staff and the City Council have used various options to provide opportunities for the community to become knowledgeable about the City budget as well as participate in the process.
1. We began with an 18-month process to develop the Long Term Financial Strategy (LTFS). This included multiple public meetings, newspaper articles, surveys and Council meetings.
2. The City has used Elway Research to hold focus groups with citizens, businesses and our advisory committees.
3. We have used several public forums with a pulse pad technology to allow citizens see how their responses compare with other citizens.
4. We created an on-line budget calculator.
5. With the assistance of TCTV, we produced several television shows as well as interviews with the Finance Committee.
6. We have used open houses and public meetings at a variety of locations (including a 10th grade civics class).
7. We are using a constrained priority to allow citizens to define core services.
For the 2013 budget
1. Staff and the Council began the year with a series of study sessions talking about various aspects of the budget.
2. We had an ad hoc budget committee that met with the Council in June.
3. The Finance Committee has discussed aspects of the b...
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