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Budgeting for Priorities


For the 2011 budget development process, City Council chose to take a different path than the perennial line item budget process. In previous budgets, staff would review operations and provide the City Manager with cost information against perceived priorities. The Manager would then review forecasted revenues, and attempt to narrow cost and revenue gaps to deliver a balanced budget. Council would then receive the document, and make recommendations on changes prior to adopting it. The process worked, but inspired little creativity, and put Council and public feedback at the very end.

In 2010, staff proposed a new budget development process, entitled Budgeting for Priorities. In this process, staff sought Council and public input up front. City Council met to discuss operational and policy priorities which culminated in the development of a Request for Proposals; a document that spells out exactly what Council and the community expect from the 2011 budget.

Staff then set to work in three teams:

Administrative Services; including finance, human resources, information technology, and clerk services

Community Services; including public works, economic development, and neighborhood initiatives

Public Safety; including fire and police services

These teams met intensively over a six week period to develop proposals meeting City Council’s goals and objectives for 2011. Instead of a document filled with line after line of costs, the product was a service by service narrative of all programs to be offered in 2011 and how they line up with Council’s priorities.

The 2011 budget was delivered to City Council with the third consecutive zero percent property tax increase for City residents and businesses. Its contents are found below.

Request for Proposals
Introduction
Administrative Services
Community Services
Public Safety
Appendices