budget process from a basic financial exercise to a strategic tool for growth. They include: • Engage stakeholders for input: Effective strategic budgeting begins with meaningful community engagement. By involving residents, local businesses and city employees early in the process, governments can ensure the budget reflects real community priorities. Public trust improves when people see their voices matter. Tools such as public hearings, surveys and digital budget simulators help gather feedback, promote transparency and build stronger relationships between city officials and the people they serve. • Define strategic priorities and objectives: Once input is collected, the next step is to set clear strategic priorities aligned with the city’s long-term vision.These priorities should translate into measurable objectives with defined outcomes. Doing so ensures accountability and better tracking of progress. For example, prioritizing public safety might involve increased funding for first responder training. With expert guidance, governments can use advanced tools to design resilient, forwardlooking financial strategies tailored to real community needs. • Link budget line items to strategic priorities: To transform budgeting into a strategic tool, each line item should be tied to a specific goal.This prevents disjointed spending and strengthens alignment between investments and outcomes. Platforms like Euna Budget help governments clearly connect resources with objectives, enabling smarter decisions. Linking funding directly to priorities also creates a structure that supports adaptability— so cities can respond effectively to new developments without losing sight of long-term goals. • Implement continuous review and adjustment: Strategic budgeting doesn’t end with budget approval — it thrives through continuous evaluation. As financial conditions or community needs shift, governments must revisit and adjust their budgets accordingly. This ongoing review process supports agility in responding to economic changes, policy shifts or emerging challenges. A flexible, full-cycle budgeting approach keeps spending sustainable, ensures relevance over time and positions city leaders to make informed, timely decisions that reflect evolving realities. Strategic budgeting might seem like a niche topic, but it touches on the everyday experiences of millions of Americans. As cities navigate rising costs and uncertain revenues, strategic budgeting offers a way forward that puts community needs at the center of the conversation. For state and local governments, it’s about doing more with less. For the rest of us, it’s about seeing our tax dollars used in ways that build a better future for everyone. intelligence (AI), real-time data reporting and compliance are helping city officials work smarter by automating routine and repetitive tasks and providing clearer insights into how resources are used. These technologies don’t just make government operations more efficient; they help taxpayers see where their money is going by building transparency and trust in the process. It’s about showing that every dollar spent is a step toward a better, more sustainable future. Other tools like scenario planning software allow cities to model different financial paths, showing both officials and residents how today’s decisions will shape the future. This transparency helps residents understand trade-offs and builds support for investments that will pay off in the future. With the guidance of skilled consultants or service providers, cities can unlock the full potential of these advanced tools and create fiscal strategies that are both forward-thinking and resilient. SMART BUDGETING IN THE COMMUNITY For state and local governments looking to adopt full-cycle, strategic budgeting, several key steps can help transform the 14 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 05
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