City Budget Campaign
“Our Money, Our Future, Our Right to Know”
The Lawrence City Budget Campaign
Our Money, Our Future, Our Right to Know is an effort to get more of our neighbors involved in a discussion about a vision for our community – Who are we as a city? Where are we going? What do we need? How can the local government best invest its resources to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods?
Lawrence CommunityWorks members during the PODER Leadership Institute of spring 2004 produced “Our Money, Our Future, Our Right to Know: The People’s Guide to the Lawrence City Budget.” Many meetings and hours of research went into writing the 72-page bilingual publication that sheds light on the city’s three major budgets – operating, capital improvement, and CDBG and HOME funds. It explains where the money comes from for each budget, what it funds, who decides how it’s spent and what opportunities there are for residents to get involved.
So what have we learned?
It is possible! Other cities across the nation and around the world understand that to reinvent their cities for the future they have to involve residents in the process and be more accountable to them — and they are making it happen in new and creative ways.
We need to look for creative solutions. The Lawrence tax base is small and our challenges are great — these are unique realities of our city. We need to keep building real partnerships between residents, business owners, and the City to take in order open the door to new and exciting opportunities.
We need political will and great leadership. Change is never easy and reinventing an older city like Lawrence is a big job, but it is possible if we have the will to make it happen. We need our elected officials to work as a team and to be accountable to the residents of this city so that we have the necessary political will to bring resources to the City and use them well.
We need to be efficient. Resources are precious and with our small tax base, we must make the best use of those resources.
We ALL need to get more involved! Lawrence is our city. With hundreds or thousands of us getting involved, asking questions, coming up with ideas, giving our time, talent and energy, we can succeed.
For more information on the City Budget Campaign Please Contact:
Nelson Butten
Director of Community Action and Mobilization (CAM)
Our House @ Hennigan Center
55 East Haverhill St.
Lawrence, MA 01841
or
Our House
168 Newbury Street
Lawrence, MA 01841
Direct Line: 978-722-2611 or email at