2024 Budget Priorities Community Engagement
It's that time of year again to focus on the next City budget, and we want your participation! We need you to tell us what programs and services matter to you. Resident input is vital to building a budget that reflects what's most important to residents. The community engagement process will include a survey and in-person listening sessions. Results from the survey and sessions will then be presented to the Monterey City Council in Spring 2024 and residents will have another opportunity at the Study Session to provide additional comments.
PHASE I – COMMUNITY SURVEY
Beginning in February, the Finance Team will launch a survey for residents that will focus on three primary questions:
- How important are various City services to you?
- In an environment of strong fiscal health for the City, which services should be added/expanded?
- In an environment of declining fiscal health for the City, which services should be removed/decreased?
THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED
The survey will be promoted through social media channels, and in-person pop-up events around the City. The survey will close on March 10, 2024.
PHASE II – LISTENING SESSIONS
Residents will be invited to attend a ‘Listening Session’ hosted by the Finance Team. The “Listening Sessions” will focus on the questions below, as well as be shaped by the results of the online survey.
- What are the top needs of the City in the next 12 months?
- What do you think the City can do to meet its top needs in the next 12 months? For example, should the city increase taxes or fees? Decrease a service area?
- Name a service the City currently provides that you would like to see it maintain or improve over the next 12 months?
Our goal is to make these “Listening Sessions” interactive, educational, and engaging. After an introduction and background, we will break up into small groups to listen to community members, and discuss and identify residents’ needs and priorities that will help develop the budget picture. The community meetings are tentatively scheduled for the following dates:
- Monday, February 26, Scholze Park Center: 6:30pm
- Thursday, February 29, Monterey Library Community Public Room: 6:00pm
- Saturday, March 2, Casanova Oak Knoll Park Center: 10:00am
Listening sessions will be approximately 90 minutes - look forward to seeing you there!
PHASE III – PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL AT STUDY SESSION
Results from the survey and listening sessions will be presented to the Monterey City Council at a Study Session on April 24, 2024.