No later than March 1, a form shall be distributed by mail to all city residents who will pay city taxes that year, either directly through home ownership or indirectly through rent. The form shall have the list of city departments with an empty box or space next to each one. Each department listing shall also include at least three examples of public services overseen by that department. Tax payers shall be instructed that they will have the ability to choose where 30% of their subsequent individual tax payment of that year shall go in the city budget among the departments listed. Taxpayers shall be instructed to write in the empty boxes or spaces what part of that 30% they wish to be allocated and they will be notified that they have the option to leave boxes or spaces empty. If taxpayers do not allocate all of the 30% then the remainder shall be allocated by the City Manager in the rest of the budget formation process.Taxpayers will have until April 1 to return the forms and the allocations made by taxpayers shall be considered binding in the overall budget formation process. The forms shall be designed by the City Council or by a committee designated by the City Council.
Why is this important?
We want to have more say in how our hard earned tax dollars are used in our city. Support a participatory budget amendment.
