Preparations for the 2016 Budget are well underway.  For those interested in the deliberations here are a couple dates you will want to keep in mind.  November 2 there is a working session for Council at which Staff will provide a review of what 2016 will look like if there are no changes in initiatives and they will provide a summary of the Council members’ priorities.  Early December the Staff’s draft budget will be available to Council members and public; and the draft budget will be on the December 14 Council agenda.  If Council does not approve the budget as drafted and directs Staff to make some changes etc. it will be back at Council on January 25, 2016.  At time of writing Council Members have provided input in terms of their priorities; and Staff is preparing their business plans.

The budget is the work plan for the year; the scope of that plan is very much influenced by the impact on property tax for 2016.  I fully expect that in the 11/2 working session we will hear that the expressed priorities of the Council require a property tax increase which is uncomfortable to some, if not all, Council members; this will then cause us to start thinking hard about priorities.  The Working Session is open to the public but it is not a meeting where the public is able to speak. Rather, if you choose to attend, you can express your concerns or support by communicating with Council members afterwards.

I will be providing posts on the process as we move forward.