Dear Neighborhood Council members:
Here is your chance to give your input on the Budget. Please go to
http://labudgetchallenge.lacity.org/budgetchallenge and take this
year's Budget survey. It is more interactive than ever before - just
press the "TAKE ACTION" button (located at the top of each page) to send
us your additional feedback.
Office of the Mayor
City of Los Angeles
ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 2009
Contact: David Beltran
(213) 321- 8917
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF INTERACTIVE BUDGET SURVEY
New survey is designed to garner feedback and educate residents on the
challenges of balancing the City’s Budget
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today announced the launch of
the ‘Los Angeles Budget Challenge’, an interactive online budget
survey that allows Angelenos to provide input on real budget issues the
City is facing through a budget balancing simulation. The Budget
Challenge is also designed to educate users on the inner workings of the
City’s Budget.
“Balancing the budget is an obligation that has become an ever
greater challenge in difficult economic times,” said Mayor
Villaraigosa. “This year's Budget survey is more interactive and gives
neighborhood council members the opportunity to understand what is at
stake by simulating the real financial decisions our City is facing.”
An important part of the budget development process, the City Charter
requires that each neighborhood council have the opportunity to present
the Mayor and Council an annual list of priorities for the City budget.
For the past four years, Mayor Villaraigosa has implemented a structured
process to ensure that all neighborhood councils and community members
have the opportunity to become informed about the City budget and have
the ability to submit their ideas, comments, and budget priorities
directly to his office.
“This year's Budget survey is a far more interactive tool than ever
before,” said Larry Frank, Deputy Mayor of Neighborhood and Community
Services. “It provides a profound opportunity for neighborhood
council members to gain a deeper understanding of the situation, while
giving feedback in a meaningful way. It digs in on the size of the
deficit, the Modified Coverage Plan at the Fire Department, the pension
issue, as well as the possible revenue opportunities.”
“I thank Mayor Villaraigosa for his continued engagement with
neighborhood councils through the Budget process,” said Michele
Siqueiros, president of the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners. “This
is a great way to ensure that residents of Los Angeles understand the
difficult choices facing our city leaders in these grim economic times
and have an active voice in prioritizing the services and expenditures
that we believe are most important.”
The Los Angeles Budget Challenge asks respondents to address next
year’s projected General Fund budget deficit of approximately $400
million by making decisions on reductions to programs and services,
implementing citywide cost cutting measures and raising revenue through
taxes or other initiatives.
The Los Angeles Budget Challenge is also intended to provide
educational information about the City’s finances and opportunities
for community input, thereby making the budget process more transparent
and accessible.
A link to the Los Angeles Budget Challenge will be available on the
City’s homepage at http://lacity.org/
The Los Angeles Budget Challenge can also be directly accessed by
visiting:
http://labudgetchallenge.lacity.org/budgetchallenge/
Responses to the Los Angeles Budget Challenge will be compiled,
analyzed and presented to Neighborhood Council budget representatives
and community members at a budget workshop meeting in early March.
Participants will be able to provide additional input on budget
priorities as well as take part in a dialogue on City budget issues.
The Mayor’s Office licensed the budget challenge software from Next
10, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that in 2005 released the
“California Budget Challenge” to engage Californians in the State
budget process. Next 10 is online at www.nextten.org.
Barri Worth
West Valley Area Director
Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
14410 Sylvan Street, Room 211
Van Nuys, CA 91401
(818) 778-4990 (office)
(818) 778-4995 (fax)
Make LA Count in Census 2010.
LA Counts When You Count!
www.LACounts2010.org
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