THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 2, 1996 TAG: 9602020477
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: METRO BRIEFS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
The city is inviting all citizens to a budget workshop Saturday where they will get to decide how to dole out the millions in the city's annual budget.
By deciding who gets funded, citizens will learn about the tough decisions public officials make, while city officials will get a glimpse of citizen priorities.
``We'll say, `Here's what we got to spend, you decide how to spend it,' '' said Councilman G. Conoly Phillips, who will help lead the workshop.
The workshop, which is for learning purposes only and not official budget crafting, will be held at Lafayette-Winona Middle School on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. During the latter half, citizens will divide into groups, write city budgets and then present them to the group.
Citizens will have to decide between the city's various interests, from pay raises for teachers, more police and the demand for recreation centers or new schools.
The city has an operating budget of $465 million, which it spends on education, fire, police, social services, road repair and the other services that keep the city running. by CNB