VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The City of Virginia Beach will give proposals on the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget March 31, and with city buildings closed for coronavirus, the city wants residents to suggest their budget ideas online.
They shared a website Thursday where people can tweak the current proposed budget, and submit their own ideas on how taxes and expenditures should look.
There's only one rule - the budget has to balance.
If people cut back taxes, they have to suggest spending cuts to match. If residents want more funding for their favorite programs, they have to pull money from other areas, or propose raising taxes.
They also shared a related website that makes an estimation of what a specific user currently pays in city taxes, and how that money is spent.
The city said that Balancing Act website is anonymous, and does not include fees for water, sewer, trash and stormwater in its calculations.
Here are some of the city's spending categories that people can adjust on the proposed budget website:
- Growing the local economy
- Creating a financially sustainable city providing excellent services
- Revitalizing neighborhoods and planning for the future
- Becoming the safest city in Virginia
The city invites people to send further questions about these services to budget@vbgov.com.