April 23, 2024
The City of Lawrence is kicking off another budget season — and we want your input! For the second year in a row, we’re using A Balancing Act, which is an online budget simulation tool, to gather community feedback on funding priorities for the upcoming year.
The City budget affects our entire community – every single person – which is why it’s important to our organization that we’re hearing from Lawrence residents about what they prioritize. With A Balancing Act, community members are able to make decisions and reallocate funds among departments. But keep in mind, anyone using the tool will need to balance their interests and priorities against competing priorities from other community members as they determine how to create a budget that fits the needs of the entire community.
A Balancing Act will be live and available for the community to use from May 1 – 31, 2024. Community members will be able to access A Balancing Act and find more information on the 2024 budget process online at lawrenceks.org/budget.
Once A Balancing Act is closed for this budget cycle, City staff will take all the input gathered and present it to the community at two in-person sessions to be held in June. More information on those community sessions will be provided in the next month.
City staff will take all the input gathered from A Balancing Act and in these sessions and create a single budget that best fits the needs of our community while moving forward the goals in the City’s strategic plan.
This year’s budget schedule is below:
- June 18: Presentation of City Manager’s Recommended 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan
- July 9: Presentation of City Manager’s Recommended Budget
- August 20: Budget Public Hearing and Revenue Neutral Rate Hearing
- September 10: Budget Adoption
Media Contact: Cori Wallace, Director of Communications and Community Relations | cwallace@lawrenceks.org
About the City of Lawrence
The City of Lawrence supports an unmistakably vibrant community with innovative, equitable, transparent and responsible local government. Together, we are creating a community where everyone can enjoy life and feel at home.