Evanston’s first attempt to involve residents in developing the city’s budget wrapped up Wednesday night leaving more budget-savvy residents but no immediate solutions to the city’s ongoing financial woes.
A group of about 80 citizens have met with members of the budget committee since late November to “guide the City Council in finding the values of the community” when developing the budget, said Ald. Stephen Engelman (7th). But aldermen, city staff and residents all have said that the program achieved less than they hoped it would.
“We haven’t really gotten any new information for solving our current budget problem,” City Manager Roger Crum said. “But (the meetings) are most useful for getting people to understand the issue.”
This year the city faces a projected $3.7 million budget deficit, which forced Crum to recommend significant budget cuts. These included closing both branches of the Evanston Public Library and stripping the funding for city programs and social services.
Engelman, who heads the Budget Committee and spearheaded the program, said it was useful to the aldermen but did not turn out as he and other aldermen planned. Engelman said he expected residents to agree on what city services were most valuable. Instead, aldermen found that every issue caused debate.
“There isn’t a single program that isn’t someone’s sacred cow,” Engelman said.
The program began during the 2001 budget process when aldermen agreed on the need for more resident input, Engelman said. So the Evanston City Council created the Budget Committee last spring and named Engelman as the chairman.
“One of the greatest resources this community has is its people and the diversity of these people,” he said. “That is why many people live here.”
To draw these people in, Engelman and Mayor Lorraine H. Morton invited more than 200 people to the first meeting on Nov. 28. This broad spectrum of people included bank executives, Northwestern professors, local business owners, heads of community groups and ordinary citizens.
At the first meeting residents were briefed on the extent of the city’s budget difficulties. At a later meeting, they convened to hear Crum’s preliminary budget proposal – a month before the Jan. 1 deadline in order to allow time for more resident input before presenting the final budget. They also were asked to prioritize their values and brainstorm ways to balance the budget. At the final meeting Wednesday, the budget committee even asked residents to do a mock budget-balancing exercise.
But many were dissatisfied by how the forums were conducted. Some people complained about not having enough information on the effect of the proposed cuts – a complaint previously voiced by several aldermen at earlier council meetings.
“We really have insufficient information to give the valued judgment they want us to give,” resident Dick Stillerman said. “I personally think it is too late in the budget process. I am not as optimistic about the effect.”
But aldermen said they still thought the process was helpful. Ald. Joseph Kent (5th) said he would present the feedback he received to the full council.
“I think considering we have never done this before we have made great strides,” he said. “We have involved a number of people in the community we would not have gotten otherwise.”
The program involved a new pool of residents in the budget process and helped them to understand the process more, said Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th).
“They understand that we have to do something,” he said.
The program will continue next year, Engelman said. And throughout the coming year, he said he would work with residents to explore some of the long-term solution proposals such as privatizing payroll services and coordinating health services with local hospitals.
“I hope to include each year that I am chairman of this committee, a process that will involve citizens in helping us develop the budget,” he said.
