| Take a Twist with the City’s Budget City Holds Community Budget Workshops; Registration Encouraged April 4, 2013 If you’ve ever wanted to be directly involved in the development of the City of Tallahassee’s budget, here’s your chance! The City will host a series of three interactive community budget workshops this month, as part of the initial phase of crafting the City’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget. The public meetings will allow citizens to interact with City officials, provide input on the variety of City services and programs and ask questions related to budget priorities. This year’s workshops come with a twist! The Tally Twister set up will provide a fun and interactive way for staff to guide participants through the budget and introduce them to City services. In addition, attendees will have an opportunity to participate an in interactive polling process that will instantly display the group’s results. While registration is not required, it is strongly encouraged. Those who pre-register will be entered to win prizes from area businesses. Locally-owned and managed businesses have donated hundreds of dollars in prizes to be awarded to registered attendees present at the workshops. Registration will assist staff with planning and will help ensure that each venue is prepared for the number of citizens planning to participate. Individuals who pre-register will also be provided a packet of budget information in advance. To register, visit Talgov.com and complete the registration form or call 850-891-8551. Going through a similar process for the past two years, the City has been able to better meet the needs and desires of citizens, based on their input. Citizen feedback has lead the City Commission to prioritize items including maintaining the already-low property tax rate, develop an initiative for small business retention, allocate funds for community gardens, and restore the loss of the Lafayette Arts & Crafts Center just to name a few. The workshops are open to the public and will take place as follows:
At each workshop, citizens will be given electronic voting devices. There will be an initial survey followed by a brief explanation of the state of the City’s budget, how the budget is prepared and economic challenges the City will face this coming fiscal year. Following the presentation, citizens will have an opportunity to play Tally Twister. This fun question and answer game is the City’s version of Twister but, will require more brain power than physical flexibility. |
