What Happens When You Treat Citizens Like Councilmembers

To plan for the next 10 years, Round Rock asked residents to weigh service levels, trade-offs, and the true cost of what they wanted

This week’s idea: The best budget engagement strategies don’t just ask for feedback, they ask residents to think like policymakers.

When Round Rock, Texas, faced a fire department showdown and rising expenses, the city didn’t panic. It invited residents to the table. Literally. Through open houses and interactive tools, citizens explored service levels across departments, weighed trade-offs, and saw the tax impact of their choices in real time.

The result? More credibility, better understanding, and surprising support for a property tax increase in a fiscally conservative community.

Want to see how it worked? 👇

Let’s talk about talking about budgets, Part II

🔹 That wraps our May series on budget communication. We’d love to hear how these briefs are influencing your fiscal storytelling.

🔹 Coming Friday: The next High Five with a City Manager. This time: Fred Presley, Town Manager of Wethersfield, Conn.

Onward and Upward.