Budgeting by inclusion.

• Author: Henley, Terry
• Position: Best Practices

Elected officials and public finance professionals need to keep in mind the importance of engaging all taxpayers in the budgeting process. "If citizens do not agree to taxation in a democracy, government loses not only its revenues, but its legitimacy" (1)--for instance, a little skirmish that developed between the American colonies and British monarchy in the late 1700s provides an excellent example of how important taxpayer acceptance and public understanding in governmental budgeting really is. Now, more than 200 years and a republic form of democracy later, jurisdictions are still looking for ways to be more inclusive. The City of North Miami, Florida, is working to make sure that technological advances in communication mirror the changing language and demographic landscape, including an inexpensive technical solution to the challenge of linking the budget with a diverse population.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN

The United States is a nation of immigrants with a host of languages. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, "Language diversity in the United States has changed rapidly over the past three decades ... In 2011, 60.6 million people (21 percent of the population aged 5 years and older) spoke a language other than English at home. In 1980, there were 23.1 million (11 percent of the population 5 years and older) language-other-than-English speakers." (2) Immigration is a major factor contributing to this increase--of 162 percent in 31 years.

The State of Florida's population is increasing, and with it, the state's ethnic diversity. This trend is expected to continue, with Florida's population increasing from 19 million now to more than 24 million in the next 30 years (see Exhibit 1). This projected growth will be accompanied by a continued demographic shift, including greater percentages of Latino and African American residents.

The city of North Miami, dubbed the "most diverse city" in Miami-Dade County by the League of Cities, has a unique demographic. The city's diverse ethnic distribution (see Exhibit 2) includes the Haitian-Creole and Spanish languages alongside English. According to the Brookings Institute, about 31 percent of North Miami residents are originally from Haiti. No other county in the nation has a larger Haitian community than Miami-Dade. (3)

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Given North Miami's multicultural environment, combined with the city's emphasis on resident engagement at city meetings and events, the Office of Management and Budget...