Tag Archives: budget

Citizen Budget Goes On the Road

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Which civic services are most important to you? Would you like to have your say on how your property taxes are used? Would you like an opportunity to share your priorities and preferences on the City’s 2017 Budget?

With a goal to encourage participation in the annual budget process amongst residents, the City of Saskatoon will be at the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market this Saturday, June 4, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to gather public feedback and promote Citizen Budget the City’s online interactive and educational tool.

Citizen Budget asks residents if the City should spend more, spend less, or spend the same on a variety of key civic services. The public can experience the complexity of building a City budget, and see the trade-offs that need to be considered when increasing, decreasing or providing the same level of service. Attendees at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, and at future locations will also have an opportunity to Have Their Say via a dot exercise where they’re invited to indicate their service level expectations and priorities for Budget 2017.

This is the second year for Citizen Budget. Last spring, the City held a public open house at City Hall, and asked residents to complete a survey online and at “on the road” locations. Citizen Budget launched in fall 2015; the public engagement budget activities are earlier this year due to the 2016 Civic Elections, October 26, 2016.

By ‘taking it on the road’ and visiting various locations, City staff hope to increase public participation and feedback that will be considered by Administration and City Council prior to Budget 2017 deliberations this December.

Future dates and locations for Citizen Budget On the Road can be found on saskatoon.ca/financialfuture. The online Citizen Budget tool is open until June 24. Residents wishing to complete a paper survey on their service level preferences, can do so in the lobby of City Hall.

Citizen Budget, and other public engagement activities such as the Annual Civic Services Survey, align with all of the City of Saskatoon’s Strategic Goals. We invest in what matters most to residents; the services we provide are aligned with what citizens expect; when people are actively engaged in the future and governance of their city, and through conversation and working together, we move the city forward, together.

City Hall Open House on the 2016 Budget

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Monday June 15th 6-9pm at City Hall

This will be a meeting hosted by City Council directly to discuss the pressure points and priorities for the 2016 City Budget. This is a new and important step in the budgeting process – to invite residents into the discussion months before the City Budget is debated at City Council.

From 6-7pm there will be a “Councillor Conversation Corner” where you can meet with Councillors and the Mayor and talk about your thoughts on the budget. From 7-9pm there will be a special Executive Committee of Mayor and Council to discuss the Budget. The Public is invited to make submissions to this meeting – you are required to submit a request to present by 8am on Monday morning through this site: https://www.saskatoon.ca/write-letter-council

We hope this will be an opportunity for residents to better understand what makes up the City Budget and how budget decisions are made, and also to hear from residents about what you want to see reflected in the next City budget. Please come if you can. You can find more information about the Open House here.