Ald. Dimitrijevic invites residents to participate in 2023 city budget process

Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, chair of the Common Council’s Finance and Personnel Committee, encourages residents to follow along with and participate in the city’s 2023 budget process which is set to kick off this month.

“One of the Common Council’s biggest undertakings every year is considering and making changes to the Mayor’s proposed budget,” said Alderwoman Dimitrijevic. “As chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee I want to ensure that residents are aware of the process and have ample opportunities to participate. Public input is a key part of public budgets and we want to hear what Milwaukeeans think the city’s top priorities should be.”

“While our fiscal situation remains tight it is clear that the city is in the midst of an economic recovery, and we must work to use our public resources intentionally now more than ever to ensure that the Milwaukee we are rebuilding is a Milwaukee for all of us. While we infuse our federal pandemic funds into the city, this budget must put human capital first. Investing in our employees who provide the public services our residents deserve is the key to our post pandemic renaissance,” she said.

The annual budget process begins when the Mayor presents his proposed 2023 executive budget to the Common Council at the start of its meeting on Tuesday, September 20. The meeting can be streamed live on the City Channel (channel 25 on Spectrum Cable and channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse in the City of Milwaukee) and via streaming video on the city website at city.milwaukee.gov/Channel25.

The Common Council’s Finance and Personnel Committee will then hear presentations from city departments related to their budgets. Hearings will begin on Thursday, September 29 and run through Friday, October 14. The full schedule of hearings can be found online at Milwaukee.gov/CommonCouncil/Finance. All meetings will be broadcast on the City Channel.

            There will be two chances for residents to provide their input regarding the 2023 city budget. The first is the Joint Public Hearing on the Mayor’s proposed 2023 budget. This opportunity for public input will take place on Monday, October 3 at 6 p.m. in the Common Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St. This hearing is in-person only.

The second opportunity for public input this year will be a Finance and Personnel Committee Public Input Meeting, newly called by Chairwoman Dimitrijevic. This new public engagement session will take place on Friday, October 14 at 9 a.m. in room 301-B on the third floor of City Hall, 200 E. Wells St. This event will be held in-person but those wishing to provide input virtually may do so by registering in advance here.

At the conclusion of department hearings and after receiving public input, Council members will be able to propose budget amendments which will be heard on Thursday, October 27 at 9 a.m. The final budget will be adopted on Friday, November 4 at the Common Council meeting at 9 a.m.

All budget related items heard by the Finance and Personnel Committee will be part of Common Council file # 220001 – communication from the Mayor relating to the proposed 2023 budget. All supporting items, including department presentations and budget amendments, can be viewed as part of the file here once provided to the committee.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.