City Budgets

In order to educate its citizens on how budgeting decisions are made, and inform decision makers on the priorities of its citizens, Calgary has engaged in an ambitious outreach process to get citizens to participate in drafting the city's budget.

In four New York City Council districts, residents will soon be able to propose and vote on capital projects to be funded by councilmember's budgets.

As recession-reduced property tax levels begin to play out in cities across the U.S., municipalities are beginning to react to the realities of lowered revenues.

Though private sector employment shows signs of recovery, the National League of American Cities predicts 500,000 municipal workers will lose their jobs over the current and coming fiscal years. The Economist considers solutions.

The mayor of Mt. Clemens, Michigan is turning to an unlikely source to help pay for stretched city services -- local non-profits. With 42% of city property tax exempt, Mayor Dempsey is asking non-profits to pay as if they were taxed.

Across the country, a growing number of towns, cities and other local governments are seeking refuge in havens that many states provide as alternatives to federal bankruptcy court.

A new report from the National League of Cities suggests urban areas will face diminished revenues through 2011 and beyond.

The L.A. Department of City Planning is experiencing radical changes in leadership, planning process, and organizational structure. The leaders--past, present, and, future--of planning in L.A. gathered in August to discuss a vision for the future.

The economic recession is lightening up in some areas, but cities and municipalities will continue to struggle with the downturn in the economy for years, mainly because of falling property tax revenues.

The City of Detroit has announced plans to close 77 city parks this summer in an effort to cut costs.

In a Chicago Tribune op-ed, Alderman Joe Moore explains why he is letting residents decide how to spend his $1.3m ward budget, through the first Participatory Budgeting process in the US.

In a Chicago Tribune op-ed, Alderman Joe Moore explains why he is letting residents decide how to spend his $1.3 ward budget, through the first Participatory Budgeting process in the US.

Townships surrounding Philadelphia have managed to survive the recession until now, but city coffers are now going into the red and cities are being forced to take action.

A new report from The National League of Cities shows that declining property and sales income is impacting city coffers, resulting in layoffs and cuts to construction projects.

A new HVAC system for a building in Minnesota that was expected to meet high environmental standards was going to come in at almost three times its originally estimated costs. So city officials are delaying.

As city budgets tighten, streetlights are getting the ax in an effort to save money.

Tight budgets are causing cities across the country to skip fireworks displays for their Fourth of July celebrations.