Budget for 2012: City Wants Your Input
In this week’s segment of “Changing Austin,” City Engagement Consultant Larry Schooler talks about the 2012 budget process including an online budget forum. Photo by KUT News.Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
In this week’s segment of “Changing Austin,” City Engagement Consultant Larry Schooler talks about the 2012 budget process including an online budget forum. If you have an opinion about how Austin spends your tax money – now is the time to speak up by accessing the forum that allows you to post your ideas on how Austin could reduce expenditures on general public services or generate new revenue.
KUT’s Emily Donahue asks Schooler about the city seeking ideas from people about how to manage the budget.
“The most helpful input right now will be either how do we cut expenditures or what’s a way for us to increase revenue,” Schooler says.
Whether it is a way for the city to get buy-in for unpopular decisions?
“It’s not an easy question to ask the public by any means,” Schooler says. “What do you most want and what are you willing to live without and how deep can you dig in your pockets.”
How likely is it that these ideas will end up being used?
“This process is a way to ensure that we’re giving the public the absolute best information in as many formats as we can,” Schooler says.
To hear more, click above for the full interview.
Podcast: Download (3.9MB)
