Patch Blog: City Budget Meetings Seek Public Input

The City of South Pasadena wants your input in crafting the next City budget.  The City will be conducting three meetings in the next two weeks where you can weigh in on how the City should spend its money in the coming fiscal year.

• The first meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. March 14 at the
• The second will be from 6 to 8 p.m. March 20 at the Youth House at

The agenda for these first two meetings will be identical. Think of these first two meetings as "Municipal Finance 101."  They are intended to provide an overview of where the City gets its revenue and what it’s spent on.  

The first two meetings will prepare attendees for the third meeting on March 29 at the from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. The third and final meeting is a roll-up-your sleeves workshop. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide direct input on where and how the City should spend its money in the coming year.  

South Pasadena, like all municipalities, has limited resources. While we can do anything we want, we just cannot do everything we want. That is why public input will be so valuable to this year’s budget process.

Ultimately it will be up to the City Council to approve a budget. The public input will not be binding upon the Council; it will be an important component in the Council’s deliberations.  

I urge anyone interested in the direction and priorities of South Pasadena to attend one of the informational meetings and the hands-on workshop. Please come and let your voice be heard.