Developing the city budget is a chance to determine how best to allocate limited resources across many community needs. It is a chance to advance key policy decisions and government reform. And it is that annual tradition in which the Mayor and City Council shift and fine-tune investment strategies in support of a common vision for community safety and prosperity.
In keeping with Mayor's Ryan's commitment to transparency, accountability and civic engagement, we are happy to introduce the 2010 INTERACTIVE BUDGET MODULE, a dynamic new tool that gives users a chance to allocate tax dollars across needs and services and see how their decisions impact the tax levy.
You will need Microsoft Excel to download and use the tool. If you are having difficulty with the module, or do not have the proper software, please contact us at (607) 772-7001 or email us at 2010budget@cityofbinghamton.com. We can even make arrangements for constituents to use our public computer kiosk in City Hall if needed.
Since day one, Mayor Ryan and his team have been committed to transparency, making government more accessible and responsive, and directly engaging consituents in the decision-making process. And this is just another way in which we're keeping that promise.
We hope you find this interactive tool informative and engaging.
Download
To begin exploring the interactive tool, please download the following file (Microsoft Excel):
Scroll down to watch a brief, instructional video on how to use the module!!
And again, if you are having difficulty with the download, or do not have the appropriate software, please contact us at either 772-7001 or 2010budget@cityofbinghamton.com and we can provide some assistance or even make arrangements for use of a public computer here in City Hall.
Directions and Tips
Here are some key ideas to keep in mind as you interact with this budget module.
This is NOT the Mayor's proposed 2010 Budget!! It is simply an instructional tool to engage residents in the budget process and to give them a better understanding of how decisions impact the tax rate. Where possible, we calculated and listed actual 2010 expenses (contractual wage increases, debt payments, etc). Otherwise, we projected as accurately as possible based on historical trends and information from other governments (fuel, state aid, etc). The Mayor is scheduled to give his 2010 Budget Address Tuesday, August 11, 2009. See below for a full calendar of the 2010 Budget Process.
A video demonstration on how to use this budget will be broadcast regularly on public access channel starting the week of May 18, and we thank Time Warner Cable for their cooperation and assistance. The video will soon be available below, as well.
All "cells" in this spreadsheet are protected and locked except those highlighted yellow or with active hyperlinks. The user can adjust ANY item highlighted in yellow. For instance, all personnel decisions are adjustable, position by position, department by department. And users can choose how much to allocate for facility repairs, workforce training, and other services or needs.
The user is encouraged to be practical, and we added department summaries so the user can better understand how personnel cuts may impact service delivery. For instance, eliminating the engineering department may reduce the tax burden, but it would come with a tremendous price, crippling capital project design and infrastructure maintenance. So please be practical, and acknowledge that most cuts will have consequences.
There are five"tabs" in this excel file:
2010 Interactive Budget
Directions on How to Use the Module
Department Summaries
Personnel Totals 1992 - 2009, which shows number of positions per department over time
Graphics, which includes a line graph showing connection and relationship between rise in pension costs and decline in cash reserves
In an effort to improve navigation, we've created links across the different tabs and between features, but feel free to explore any aspect of this comprehensive module.
There is a LOT of information in this module, and we may not have communicated it perfectly to all users. Again, please contact us via either the phone number or email listed above, and we'll be happy to provide assistance or answer any questions.
Thanks for staying informed and engaged.
Additional Resources
AUDITED STATEMENTS. Over the last three years, Mayor Ryan has consistently directed his departments to use the city website to improve transparency and accessibility. Meeting that directive, the Financial Department has loaded audits from 2006 and 2007. But in the module, there is specific reference to the declining cash reserves in the general fund, and directs the user here for documentation. Here are balance sheets from audited statements for years 2000 - 2005.
2010 BUDGET PROCESS CALENDAR. Each year, the City's budget process spans approximately four months, starting with proposed departmental budgets; moving to the Mayor's budget review, adjustments, and Budget Address; and concluding with budget hearings by City Council. Due to this year's extraordinary economic circumstances, Mayor Ryan and City Council have restructured the 2010 Budget Process to allow for greater input, more accurate projections, and increased taxpayer savings. The Mayor and City Council will hold special budget sessions on August 10th and 11th at 6:00pm in the Council Work Room. Mayor Ryan will present his 2010 Budget Address on August 31st at 5:30pm in City Council Chambers, and it will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable. And City Council will hold additional budget hearings in the following weeks. Click here for more on the City's restructured budget process.
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO. Below is a video on "How to Use the 2010 Interactive Budget module." (Please allow 15 seconds for the video to load.) This segment is part of a four-video series titled OPEN GOVERNMENT by the City of Binghamton. More details on the series are available by clicking here.
