Every two years, the City of Redmond conducts a robust community-based effort to review its financial picture, investments and the actual resources required to fund key city services. This is done through an inclusive process known as Budgeting by Priorities. The city invites community input to evaluate budget priorities through the prism of what citizens value most and ask them to rank the six priorities in order of their importance.
Now in full swing for the 2015/2016 biennium, citizens are encouraged to participate in “Your City, Your Choice” at www.redmond.gov/yourchoice. “It’s exciting to see students at the DigiPen Institute of Technology work with city staff to develop the ‘Your City, Your Choice’ campaign. Together they developed a series of short informative videos to showcase what each of the budget priorities encompasses,” said Mike Bailey, finance director. “What’s really great this year is that our community can engage with us via the web, tablet, phone or in person.”
The six core budget priorities remain the same as in the 2013/2014 budget cycle:
• Safety — I want to be safe where I live, learn, work and play.
• Clean and Green — I want to live, learn, work and play in a clean and green environment.
• Vibrant Economy — I want a diverse and vibrant range of businesses and services in Redmond.
• Diverse and Connected Community — I want a sense of community and connection with others.
• Responsible Government — I want a city government that is responsible and responsive to its residents and businesses.
• Infrastructure — I want a well-maintained city whose transportation and other infrastructure keep pace with growth.
The Redmond mayor and City Council play a key role in defining and managing the city’s financial health. They work with city staff to develop and adopt financial policies, a long-term strategy and other guidance. They track performance through the city’s dashboard measure and budget progress on a monthly basis; they hold formal public hearings and meetings through community events such as “National Night Out” and meet face to face with community members to gain their feedback.
Beginning with a public dialog on June 17, the community is invited to meet with City Council and share their perspectives.
Formal City Council budget hearings are open to the public and also available for viewing on Redmond City Television Channel 21.
Meeting schedules are:
Council budget hearings:
June 17
Oct. 21
Nov. 18
Council budget study sessions:
Oct. 28
Oct. 30
Nov. 6
Nov. 13
Nov. 18
Nov. 20
Nov. 25
This year, citizens will have the opportunity to share their perspectives with the mayor and City Council members during Derby Days, July 12, and see what others are saying about the budget.
