Although City Manager Roger Crum presented his budget to only a handful of residents Saturday with little public input beforehand, it might not be because Evanston is apathetic, but rather because of a loss of faith — both inside and outside city government — in the ability of residents to effect substantial change.

In a place as politically active as Evanston, discussion of the budget — a reflection of the city’s priorities — can attract droves of people to the Evanston City Council chambers.

Aldermen first brought people in to hash out concerns and then ventured into the city to widen the scope of opinions involved. But after two years of establishing a community process, the City Council took a step backward with the 2004-05 budget.

The Budget Policy Committee has not met for months. The leader of the committee, former Seventh Ward Ald. Stephen Engelman, has left the council. And, most importantly, those most devoted to the process said they have not seen any results from their efforts.

“When you do call for a meeting, you can’t even get people to come,” said Ald. Edmund Moran (6th), the committee’s current chairman.

Engelman announced his retirement after the council passed its budget last year, and Moran said he had to start from a tough situation that not even his predecessor could have overcome. Despite many hours residents and aldermen devoted to looking at innovative solutions, he said the council has not respected the committee.

“The budget committee has been told that it is going to be ignored,” he said.

Not all nine aldermen serve on the committee, and Moran said some not on the voluntary body tend to dictate budget creation — leaving those who do put in the time wondering if it is worth discussing without all aldermen present.

But council members are not the only ones who said they were disheartened by the process. Junad Rizki was the only resident to speak during citizen comment at Saturday’s meeting. Rizki, who has attended many of the budget meetings, blasted the budget proposal Saturday for its property tax increase. He said afterward that he was not surprised the city was avoiding tough decisions on the budget.

“The alderman aren’t doing anything,” Rizki said. “They won’t do anything, so the (budget) meetings are useless.”

Dick Peach said he has attended every meeting of the budget committee during the last two years, even those in the fall that were cancelled when not enough aldermen showed up. Peach, also the president of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, said became discouraged when he did not see any committee ideas show up in the budget — a feeling echoed by Moran and other aldermen on the committee.

And this year’s proposal — with its reliance on cash reserves, a property tax increase and fee hikes — has further exemplified the lack of a meaningful search for long-term solutions.

“The minute Steve Engelman stepped out from the podium,” Peach said, “it’s like the wind went out of the sails.”

Engelman’s reason for bringing the committee together was to improve on what he said is his basic philosophy of the council’s role. He said aldermen should reflect the community values.

“No action taken by the City Council can exemplify (its role) more explicitly than than the budget,” Engelman said.

Over the years, however, Engelman said he began to see the distance the council maintained from residents. And being on the outside looking in has only increased his disapproval.

“There’s never been a real dialogue between constituents and aldermen,” Engelman said.

But those involved in the budget committee said they have not given up hope. Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) said designating it an ongoing standing committee — not a voluntary one — could put more validity in the body.

As of today there are six weeks before the council is set to approve a budget. Issues still exist — especially the property tax increase and a hike in a natural gas tax that could affect business — that might draw throngs of people to the Evanston Civic Center. Or they might not.

But the chance to involve residents in the initial budget proposal has passed. Despite that and the committee’s previous ineffectiveness, some residents said they remain devoted to the process and will not give up on their ability to participate.

“It’s still not enough for me to stop attending the meetings,” Peach said. “I’m a glass-half-full type of guy.”