Update: Nerdy Notes On The Redmond City Budget

A drive-through voter ballot drop-box is at City Hall

Budgets are boring and probably the last thing on your mind with the Election and Halloween around the corner.  However, I'm a government nerd and wanted to share some of the City Budget Hearing chaos I'm feeling.    

The City Clerk sent me the Budget calendar after I asked for it.  IMO, the calendar could have been written during one of their many briefing meetings to engage the public with the budget early on; but the calendar wasn't formalized until the second, October 1 Hearing .... "kinda bas akwards."  

THE PROCESS:  Three budget hearings are required; and a 4th is optional. Council decided the public would have its usual 3 minutes, instead of 4 minutes to speak in these important Hearings. Of interest, I remember Councilmember Stuart once saying on the Dais that no more than 1 minute for public comment was necessary.  

Now, to get you up to date:  The first Hearing (July 16) 👆was for public input on the "Capital Investment Program," (pg. 23) "Business Technology Investment Program" and a "Departmental Budget Overview."  With public our input, Council may change the Mayor's proposed, Preliminary budget.   

 

The lack of information for the 👆second October 1 Hearing was annoying and poorly timed, as follows:  

• The Hearing immediately followed the mayor's very short 2025-2026 Preliminary Budget (PB) presentation.
• The public had NO TIME to evaluate the PB and speak on it at this Hearing 
• In an agenda memo the city defined the Hearing's primary purpose for "public input on proposed tax and fee increases."  
• The Hearing was scheduled to follow council's deliberations on the critical  "All Funds Summary" 
• Pay special attention to pp 5-13 showing the lucrative 1-time construction money the city gets from developers and see where it's spent.    

The 👆third October 15th Hearing was a doozy. It was a "catch all" and had to compete with 2 other Hearings and a Resolution!  The all-important "Revenue Forecast" and "Capital Investment Program" was discussed again. ...and not to forget the "Business Technology Investment Program."  Oh, the "Strategic & Responsive" priority (so appropriately named) were discussed too 😀" 

Now get this!  Per Mayor Birney's memo, the optional fourth Public Hearing. "if needed," is on November 4th, 7 p.m. the day before the Presidential Election!   If you still want to chime in but can't make the Hearing email Budget@redmond.gov. 

posted by Yoder, 10/24/24      

✋Factoids:  "Total budgeted expenditures in 2025-2026 equal $1.22 billion." The City has a $4,645,228.00 "Economic Contingency Fund." accumulated from  REET Excess taxes ie. 1-time money Check it out at the Budget Summary, General Fund, page 16