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
Despite all that the City has done to preserve its programs and services layoffs, reorganizations, compensation cuts, land sales, utilizing reserves -- the City continues to project a deficit in its General Fund. At the beginning of the year, the General Fund deficit was estimated at $8.3 million, but is now projected to be $7 million. This change is largely due to how the City is budgeting future labor costs. Instead of assuming cost of living adjustments for employees, due to the high level of economic uncertainty, the City has assumed that there will not be cost of living adjustments until there is adequate revenue growth.
The City's current deficit has the potential to result in a significant reduction in programs and services. Before undertaking these cuts, the City launched a Priority Based Budgeting process. 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.
In total, almost 300 programs and services were evaluated. Employees described the extent to which the City's programs are mandated, the level of demand and cost recovery, and the extent to which there are alternatives for the City to obtain a service. Employees also scored the City's program and services against the City's four priority results -- prosperous local economy; quality, family-oriented community; reliable, well-maintained infrastructure; and safe community -- to determine their level of influence.
In terms of public outreach, we engaged all aspects of our community. In addition to community forums, City staff attended service club, homeowners -- associations, and business meetings, as well as City Council and commission meetings to collect more than 1,300 surveys to gauge the community's priorities. Survey results indicate a preference for programs and services that promote a safe community. However, the community also expressed a desire for a balanced approach to allocating the City's resources.
The next step in the budgeting process is to allocate resources across the organization and develop a budget recommendation for City Council. In developing this recommendation, we will draw on the results of the Priority Based Budgeting process, as well as experience, judgment, and best practice. As the process unfolds, the City will continue to host its online forum. If you have any questions, please contact me at (707) 428-7400. The final report of the Priority Based Budgeting process is posted on the City's website.
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