Christiansburg Mayor Interviewed as Priority Based Budgeting Initiative Gets Underway

CHRISTIANSBURG, VA -- Christiansburg town leaders vote to bring in budgeting help. The town will be paying an estimated $22,000 to the Center for Prioritized Budgeting.

"They will help us better prioritize our budget, deciding what our money should be spent on," said Barry Helms, interim Town Manager.

Christiansburg, VA Embarks on Priority Based Budgeting: "This gives some rhyme and reason to trying to avoid the situation we've had in past years"

Christiansburg Town Council votes to buy budget help - Roanoke.com
By Lerone Graham
The Roanoke Times

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to contract with a not-for-profit organization to help with the budget process.

"We have to find a new way to do our budget. The way we've been doing it is not going to work," said Finance Director Val Tweedie.

The Center for Priority Based Budgeting consults with governing bodies to assess departments, goals and needs in reference to spending, while helping establish a budget process that works best for the municipality.

Davenport Institute - Leading Citizen Engagement Organization - Highlights Monterey and Fairfield Initiatives

https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:21184.8816554396/rid:203d8cd02cf66abe9b5c74cee09edce4
Since it's founding as a multi-partisan and non-profit organization in 2005, The Davenport Institute (formerly Common Sense California) has worked to engage the citizens of California in the policy decisions that affect the everyday lives of Californians. It is their firm belief that, in today's world of easy access to information, and easy connectivity to others, California's municipal and education leaders are seeking ways to involve the residents of their communities in the important issues they confront. Done legitimately, this new kind of leadership produces better, more creative policy solutions and better, more engaged citizens committed to the hard work of self-governance.

In their latest newsletter, the Priority Based Budgeting efforts in the City of Fairfield and the City of Monterey are highlighted to the extent that they are helping to accomplish what the Davenport Institute is also aiming to achieve. Tremendous recognition for Fairfield and Monterey.

City Manager Reflects on City of Fairfield's Priority Based Budgeting Initiative

City of Fairfield, CA - News Details
City Manager discusses the results of Priority Based Budgeting

At the beginning of the year, the City Council established one goal -- fix the budget. The purpose of this article is to convey the results of the City's Priority Based Budgeting process, which is a crucial milestone in achieving this goal. The results provide a valuable tool to assist the City in developing solutions to address its Fiscal Year 2011/12 General Fund deficit.

The purposes of this process were to obtain a thorough evaluation of the organization's programs and services, to engage the public in a meaningful discussion of our budget challenges, and to understand the community's priorities. On all accounts, the process was successful.

View the City's Summary Memo on their project website:
http://www.fairfield.ca.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6366

Opening Night for Monterey Citizen Forums to Engage Community in Priority Based Budgeting Process

http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_16530721
Monterey uses play money to help with budget issues
City asks residents for value ranking
By LARRY PARSONS

The city of Monterey is inviting residents and taxpayers to use $500 of play money to help with the city's next budget. The city is facing an estimated $5 million budget gap when it starts putting together its 2011-12 budget, the latest in a string of spending squeezes.

As a result, the city is using a different approach to put together its next budget, a technique called "priority-based budgeting" that is being used by a growing number of public agencies around the country.

Can Priority Based Budgeting Reveal the Common Ground Among Our Elected Officials?

Grand Island mayoral candidates discuss budget issues News 5: Coverage You Can Count On Local News

The Mayoral race in Grand Island pits two candidates against each other, each opposed to the other on the issue of taxes. Yet, as the article captures below, they both agree on one point: "Prioritization is the key."

This begs the question - can Priority Based Budgeting be a unifying common ground for our elected officials? Can the focus on Prioritization usurp the discussion of politics as usual. It seems Prioritization has the potential to be a unifying conversation, even in these times when budget discussions have been so divisive. We'd love to hear your thoughts and perspectives on this topic!