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Unpacking Tough Budget Issues: Making Budget Talk Accessible and Engaging

Learn how to simplify complicated budget matters, engage citizens effectively, and handle difficult budget messages with practical tips and examples. This resource explores various strategies for outreach, engaging with elected boards, and managing challenging budget communications. Find ways to make budget discussions more understandable, engaging, and transparent.

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Unpacking Tough Budget Issues: Making Budget Talk Accessible and Engaging

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  1. Explaining Difficult Budget Issues Opening up the Can of….. Pennies, Dollars and more

  2. Overview – A few questions Current level of outreach/engagement? Minimal – Moderate – Out the Wazoo Use of social media In general – On budget matters Use of citizen-focused meetings, workshops? Preparing simplified budget information? “You balance the budget” games or exercises?

  3. Overview – John’s “Wisdom” • Five moving pieces • Elected board interests • About the information – what and how • Outreach and engagement • Difficult budget messages

  4. Five moving pieces – no easy formula PIO/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

  5. Elected Board interests • Hot topic Handle carefully Don’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

  6. ABOUT THE INFORMATION – the what and the how • Levels/complexity of budget information • Context: Comparison data • Your jurisdiction • Other jurisdictions • Old media – New media

  7. 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?

  8. 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

  9. 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

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