Daly City – The City of Daly City is hosting a community meeting on Wednesday, March 8, to discuss budget priorities for the coming fiscal year. All Daly City residents and members of the business community are invited to participate in the two-hour session scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 333 90th Street.

Staff members from the City’s Finance Department and City Manager’s Office will open the meeting with a brief overview of city-provided services, which include such diverse activities as parks and recreation programs, libraries, street maintenance, and public safety. Following the discussion of current services, meeting participants will review the City Council’s long-term goals. The meeting will culminate with an audience participation session. Individuals in attendance will have an opportunity to voice their opinions and suggestions about City programs and services. A summary of ideas generated at the community meeting will be presented to the City Council as they make policy decisions related to budget expenditures for the coming fiscal year. Daly City’s next fiscal year begins July 1, 2006 and ends June 30, 2007.

“My colleagues on the City Council and I hope citizens will engage in this process to better identify budget priorities for the community,” said Mayor Michael P. Guingona. “We’ve never solicited community input at this stage of the budget preparation. This is a wonderful opportunity for people with an interest in their local government.” Mayor Guingona also cautioned potential participants to be mindful of the City’s limited resources. “Funding one program might necessitate eliminating another,” he added.

The Community Meeting on Budget Priorities coincides with the recent distribution of the “Budget at a Glance” community newsletter and supplemental questionnaire that was mailed to every household in Daly City. City staff will evaluate data gleaned from the questionnaire and incorporate suggestions as appropriate as part of the overall budget preparation process.

For more information about the upcoming community meeting, please call the City’s Finance Department at (650) 991-8048.