- peoplesbudgetreview.org
St. Petersburg's citizen-driven People's Budget Review will announce their third survey Monday, August 6. The survey's focus will be on the proposed fire fee and Mayor Bill Foster's budget proposal.
"We really view this survey as the most important one," Aaron Dietrich, organizer with People’s Budget Review said."This is the final survey before the budget vote in September."
During the first two surveys, the People's Budget Review got halfway towards reaching 10,000 residents. The first two stories focused on larger-scale questions, but the third survey will have more specifics.
"The budget situation in St. Pete is going to be an ongoing shortfall," Dietrich said. "We are trying to create a vehicle to keep people involved in this process."
The citizen initiative saw attendance at the city's annual budget meetings rise significantly. "Before this, people used to view the budget process in St. Pete as already done before people could give input," Dietrich said. "It has become a movement where people take ownership of the process."
This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 1, 2012.
