Town Encourages Public Input to Maximize Transparency

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To maximize the level of involvement and transparency in the Town’s budget creation and adoption process, the public is encouraged to provide their input in the Town’s budget by attending one of the upcoming public meetings or otherwise contacting the Town.

The Town wants to hear from its residents.  We want to know what projects and services you want your local government to provide, or not provide.  Where the Town can improve and where the Town should continue to provide existing services.

In addition to the several public meetings already held on the creation of the upcoming budget, the Town is hosting a minimum of two more public meetings.  The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 5 and the second public meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 19.  Both meetings are scheduled to start at 6:00pm and are held at Florence Town Hall.  Additional meetings may be scheduled.  Dates are subject to change, so please contact the Town to confirm as these dates draw closer.

Each year the Town adopts a balanced budget that guides the Town for the next 12 months, from July 1 to June 30.  At the direction of the Florence Town Council, the budget must be created with a fiscally conservative approach, meaning revenues must always be equal to or exceed the expenses of the Town.

To accomplish the creation and adoption of a balanced and responsible budget, the Town Manager works with the Town departments to identify community needs and cost saving measures.  The costs of services and projects are analyzed to ensure they are delivered in a fiscally responsible manner.

The Town has used a Budget Committee every year since 2003 to develop the annual budget.  The Town’s Budget Committee, comprised this year of Councilmembers Karen Wall and Rebecca Guilin (each serving their second consecutive appointment on the committee), as well as Town staff, further methodically analyze the Town’s preliminary budget to identify the Town’s available revenues and the services that best serve the citizens of Florence, based on input from residents, and historical and forecasted data.

When the Budget Committee has completed its assignment and the preliminary budget is created, it is then presented to the Town Council at public meetings for their consideration.  Public input is welcomed and encouraged as part of this process.  The draft budget will change, based on input from the public and the Florence Town Council. After many public meetings, the Florence Town Council adopts the budget in June and the budget goes into effect on July 1.

For more information about the upcoming public meetings or for questions about the budget process, please contact Joe Jarvis, Florence Finance Director, at (520)868-7505 or joe.jarvis@florenceaz.gov.