With the economy still bleak and an $8.3 million deficit looming in its 2011-12 budget, the city of Fairfield is reaching out to the community to help bridge the financial divide.
"We've made it a priority because this will impact every person's life," said Dave White, assistant to the city manager. "We want to be as available as possible."
Officials hope a new techno community outreach campaign, by way of the Priority Based Budgeting process, will generate a wealth of ideas that will ultimately shape and craft the city's budget. The PBB apparently will help the city set its financial priorities and prioritize services according to their contribution to meeting city goals.
This review ends in late September and will be the foundation for a budget reduction plan set to be submitted to the City Council in January.
Already $26 million has been chopped from the city's general fund, thanks to budget woes caused by dwindling revenues. Drops in home and property values, a decline in the housing market, slowed development, state takeaways and more have contributed to the losses.
If the matter isn't rectified, White said, city facilities could be closed and entire programs eliminated.
Through PBB, officials seek to gather more public input by way of their online feedback venue, at www.fairfield.ca.gov/gov/depts/finance/budget_suggestion_box.asp, and by input collected at public gatherings.
"We want to provide an environment where we can gather all ideas," White said. "We want to go to homeowners' associations meetings, business associations meetings, all City Council and Planning Commission meetings between (now) and Sept. 21. ... We want to be as available to the public in as many ways as possible."
For more information, call Bob Leland, Fairfield's finance director, at 428-7495, or Dave White, assistant to the city manager, at 428-7398.
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