Smart Cville, in collaboration with Albemarle County, announced the launch of an online budget visualization tool for the County’s recently published FY17 budget.
The tool provides an interactive and engaging look at the County’s revenue streams and most of its expenditures. Interested residents can input their real estate tax payments and explore how those dollars are spent. Historical data going back to 2011 allows users to see how budget areas have changed over time.
The site can be accessed today at albemarle.smartcville.
“I’m pleased that Smart Cville has used Albemarle County budget data to show this complex information in such an approachable and interactive way,” said Lori Allshouse, the Albemarle County Director of the Office of Management and Budget. “This site enables our citizens to explore county budget information and drill down into detailed spending and revenue data to clearly illustrate how the budget supports important County services.”
“The collaboration of the County with Smart Cville to create this tool demonstrates the County’s commitment to greater government transparency and citizen participation,” said Brad Sheffield, Rio District Supervisor. “It’s a technological innovation that will help the County reach an audience that seeks to be engaged in new and changing forums.”
“Public discourse begins with understanding often complicated issues. Budget documents are walls of numbers and footnotes. With this tool residents will be able to engage the budget in a personal and clear way,” Said Lucas Ames, Chairman, Smart Cville. “We hope the tool increases understanding and helps inspire informed discourse.”
Public discourse on municipal issues is often hampered by the fact that few residents have time to sift through dense budget documents. By providing a much more accessible and personal view of the budget, the public will be better equipped to provide input and feedback during future budget cycles, and in current discussions before the County.
In 2015, Smart Cville launched its first budget tool with the City of Charlottesville (available at budget.smartcville.com)
This project would not be possible without some great leaders in Massachusetts. In the fall of 2013, Involution Studios of Arlington, Mass., along with the Town of Arlington, former Town Selectman Annie LaCourt and Finance Committee Vice-Chair Alan Jones, conceptualized a web application that provides an easier way to communicate complex municipal financial information. Involution donated all development services for this project, the first known municipal budget visual representation of its kind.
Built as an open-source project, Involution and Smart Cville welcome other municipalities to build on this tool, and help make municipal budgets all over the country more accessible.
Within the County, this project was spearheaded by Sheffield, and Smart Cville worked closely with Emily Kilroy, the County’s Community Engagement Specialist. Projects like this require the enthusiasm of staff and elected officials that understand the value of a more informed public. Smart Cville extends its thanks to everyone at the County that was involved in this launch.
Smart Cville is a 501(c)(3)-designated, non-profit organization committed to promoting public discourse on municipal government, collaborating with Charlottesville-Albemarle regional municipalities to promote forward-thinking development and management, and partnering with like-minded organizations to make open data work, support innovations in infrastructure, and participate in progressive and thoughtful planning.
Find out more at smartcville.com.
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