Mayor Ballantyne has submitted her proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024. City officials must now work together to hammer out a final budget, one that comes as close as possible to serving the wants and needs of as many of us as is practical and doable.

Naturally, a lot of debate and discussion will be in the picture as diverse interests push and pull their way into and back out of the turbulent times ahead.

General government, public safety, culture and recreation, pension and fringe, debt service, schools, overlay reserve, state assessments, and other miscellaneous expenditures are all part of the big picture.

Serious issues face the city, and how we manage the financial resources we have is as important now as it ever was before. There are ongoing problems to be confronted and public safety issues to be carefully considered. Adequate funding is needed for emergency management, fire, fire alarm, police/911, and police/animal control. How best should we allocate these funds for police and fire protection? For health and education? Any number of important issues that the city faces are in play as part of this budgeting process.

It’s a massive, complicated job, seeking out the big picture, seeing it clearly and then applying good sense in whatever final plans may come from it. It is no simple or easy task.

Certainly, the average citizen should get into the process too. Go to some of the meetings. Voice your concerns and opinions, and demand responses. After all, whose money is it, really?