The City Neighborhood Council's Budget Committee invites you to its meeting this Monday, Oct. 18, 5-6 p.m. in City Hall room 370 (601 Fifth Avenue, third floor).

[I am forwarding to my e-mail list the following announcement that was sent out by the Department of Neighborhoods about a Monday meeting that I am organizing.  Please e-mail or phone me if you do not want to receive such messages in the future -- Chris Leman]

Decisions in the next three weeks on Seattle’s two-year budget may be the most important for City government in a generation.  Be a part of the process!  The City Neighborhood Council's Budget Committee invites you to its meeting this Monday, Oct. 18, 5-6 p.m. in City Hall room 370 (601 Fifth Avenue, third floor).  Hear the latest on discussions within the City Council, and between the Mayor and City Council, regarding where to make the needed severe budget cuts.  Help draft a comment letter to them, to be acted on by CNC later in the month.

In mid-November, the City Council will act, and without strong urging, they could go along with the Mayor's proposed cutbacks in crime prevention coordinators; the maintenance and hours of parks, community centers, and libraries; landmarks surveys; the Department of Neighborhoods district offices and coordinators; and the Neighborhood Matching Fund.  DON (already one of the smallest departments from past cuts) could receive proportionally larger cuts than any other department.

City Council resolution 28115 that designates CNC and the district councils as official advisory bodies, states that "The responsibility of the City Neighborhood Council shall include review and recommendations regarding City budget issues, including the general fund, capital and block grant budgets, and the Neighborhood Matching Fund."  The resolution also states that "The City Council shall consider the recommendations of the City Neighborhood Council and the comments of neighborhood organizations and District Councils in its review and actions on the City budget."

The CNC Budget Committee seeks to involve the district councils and other volunteers in these discussions, and also encourages the district councils and individuals to write their own budget letters.  The July 2 letter on budget priorities that the City Neighborhood Council sent to the Mayor and City Council is available at http://seattle.gov/neighborhoodcouncil/documents/CNC2010budgetletteronletterhead.doc  For background or to get involved, contact CNC Budget Committee chair Chris Leman, cleman@oo.net (206) 322-5463, and please send us your ideas.

Whether or not you can come to the CNC budget committee on Oct. 18 please let the City Councilmembers know your views by messages (their contacts are listed at http://seattle.gov/council/councilcontact.htm) and at a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 26, 5-9 p.m. in the City Council chambers.  To see the Mayor's budget proposals, go to http://seattle.gov, and for more information on the hearings and the City Council process: www.seattle.gov/council/budget.