Public invited to weigh in on Olympia’s 2017 operating budget | The Olympian

The 2017 operating budget will be among a handful of topics up for public hearings at the Olympia City Council’s meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.

The final budget is slated for council approval Dec. 13.

The public can also comment Tuesday during hearings on three other topics:

▪ The 2017-2022 Capital Facilities Plan, which is a list of projects with an outline of their costs, financing and construction timelines. The plan totals about $142 million.

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▪ The 2018-2023 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program, which outlines Olympia’s basic transportation needs so it can qualify for state or federal funding. These projects are identified in the Capital Facilities Plan.

▪ A 2017 ad valorem tax ordinance, which would increase the regular property tax levy by about 0.45 percent to generate about $63,723 more next year.

Before these public hearings, Olympia City Councilman Clark Gilman will co-host an “Olympia People’s Budget Forum” 6-8 p.m. Monday at First Christian Church, 701 Franklin St. SE. The goal is to solicit public input on priorities for the city budget.

The council held a study session last week to discuss the $139 million budget, which comes up short in funding unmet “critical needs,” including public safety initiatives such as body-worn cameras for police and downtown nighttime walking patrols. These issues are expected to be discussed at Monday’s forum.

“We won’t spend the evening listening to experts,” Gilman said of Monday’s forum. “The brilliance is in all the people in the room. Each of us holds a part of the solution.”