City of Fairfield Set to Begin Prioritization

City Council set to begin review of future spending

FAIRFIELD - The final decision is 14 months away, but city leaders on Monday will start the process of making budget decisions for 2011 and 2012.

The Fairfield City Council has scheduled the special meeting to launch a 'priority-based budgeting process' -- a new approach it is taking as it prepares for an expected $8 million cut.

'The first step in that process is to help define priorities . . . and objectives for the city,' said David White, assistant to the city manager. 'Why do we come to work every day? What are we trying to do for the community?'

City of Grand Island Drives Budget with Prioritization - Council Commends City Administrator and Finance Director

The Independent > Archives > News > Local > City cuts are forthcoming

"Councilmen Larry Carney and Scott Dugan praised Pederson and Brown for the prioritization process. They called it a logical and understandable method of making some difficult decisions to come."

Prioritization Principles Brought to Life through Walnut Creek, San Jose, and Lakeland - Cover Story of May Government Finance Review

Download Government Finance Review - May 2010 Cover Story:
http://www.yousendit.com/download/OHo3YUlqTSsxUUR2Wmc9PQ

"Priority Driven Budgeting (PDB) is about how a government should invest resources in order to meet its stated objectives. Prioritization helps us to better articulate why the programs we offer exist, what value they offer to citizens, how they benefit the community, what price we pay for them, and what objectives and citizen demands they are achieving. PDB is about directing resources to those programs that create the greatest value for the public."