explaining difficult budget issues opening up the can of….. pennies, dollars and more
TRANSCRIPT
Explaining Difficult Budget Issues
Opening up the Can of….. Pennies, Dollars and more
Overview – A few questions
Current level of outreach/engagement?Minimal – Moderate – Out the Wazoo
Use of social mediaIn general – On budget matters
Use of citizen-focused meetings, workshops?Preparing simplified budget information?“You balance the budget” games or exercises?
Overview – John’s “Wisdom”
• Five moving pieces• Elected board interests• About the information – what
and how• Outreach and engagement• Difficult budget messages
Five moving pieces – no easy formulaPIO/public affairs – getting the word out
Finance/Budget staff – what is the word, and the figures!
City/County Manager – staff-Elected Board relations, old and new procedures
Elected Board
“Consumers” of the information - residents, citizens, organized stakeholder groups, individual advocates, media
Elected Board interests
• Hot topic Handle carefullyDon’t make our job harder
• Supplement - do not replace - contact with citizens, stakeholder groups
• Easier to focus on big picture – such as taxes, capital projects, services
ABOUT THE INFORMATION – the what and the how
• Levels/complexity of budget information• Context: Comparison data
Your jurisdictionOther jurisdictions
• Old media – New media
Outreach and Engagement
• Reaching many busy citizens vs. Small number of advocates
• Fairness – ease of participation, methods of dissemination, invitation to a public meeting
• Headlines vs. the tough details• Single-issue focus vs. Balancing
priorities – Can citizens understand and struggle with the trade-offs that the Board faces?
DIFFICULT BUDGET MESSAGES
• We can’t do that• It is not that simple• Re-valuation and “revenue neutral” tax rate• Fund balance is not a “slush fund”• Managing separate funds – cannot (or should not)
move money between them
2011 SOG resource
• Creating Effective Citizen Participation in Local Government Budgeting: Practical Tips and Examples for Elected Officials and Budget Administrators
• http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.433425/it.I/id.479/.f
Image credit: Andrew M. Sachs