Tonight I participated in the first “Tough Times, Tough Choices” budget forum along with hundreds of other Philadelphians. I was really encouraged about how everyone came together for the common purpose and, much like one high-fives neighboring fans at the ballpark after a Ryan Howard homerun, participants were quick to develop an enthusiastic “we’re in this together” mentality with total strangers.
"A public budget represents the most concrete expression of civic will. Public budgets are made of assumptions and priorities, informed by policy decisions of the past and policy goals for the future. But, the budget is more than a plan to raise and spend money and more than a list of the winners and losers in the competition for scarce resources. Our hopes and dreams live in those numbers."
"The best public servants use technology and communication to connect public-resource inputs to public-policy outcomes so the public can see tax dollars delivering quality services, or falling short of goals. In such a system, feedback loops help governmental leaders manage the work of their agencies in creating positive results citizens can see."
