Description

Why Involve the Public in Budgeting?

 Meaningful public involvement can help residents understand the hard choices that budgeting entails, and assist policy-makers in better understanding the programs and services residents value most.

 Increased public understanding about local agency budgets, including revenues, expenses and challenges can lead to greater support for budgetary decisions as well as for measures to increase effective use of local revenues.

 Transparency about the local agency finances and the budget decision-making process promotes public trust and confidence in the agency’s stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

 The budgeting process allocates scarce taxpayer dollars to services, programs and facilities that play a key role in determining the community’s quality of life.