Citizens' Budget Committee

Overview

The Citizens' Budget Committee acts as a fiscal advisory group to the Council while the budget is being developed.  Oregon budget law establishes the budget committee and its functions beginning with ORS 294.414 in Chapter 294 - County and Municipal Finance Administration of the Oregon Revised Statues (ORS).
 
Budget committees are made up of the governing body of the local government and an equal number of appointed members. The City of Ashland’s 14-member budget committee consists of its seven elected officials and seven appointed members.
 
Appointed members of the budget committee must be electors of the local government. They cannot be employees, officers, or agents of the local government. The City of Ashland budgets on a biennial basis, therefore member appointments are for a four-year term. No member of the budget committee (governing body members included) receives compensation for serving on the committee.

Committee Openings

Applications are open! We are looking for one citizen to serve on this committee. The application period will remain open until filled. If applications are received in November, appointment will be made at the December 2, 2025, City Council Business Meeting. The Committee will meet after the first of the year for an advisory review under Oregon Budget Law.

The Budget Committee's Role

The primary role of the Committee is to insure expenditures do not exceed revenues and the overall budget is consistent with the service priorities of the Mayor and Council. The culmination of the Budget Committee’s work is to set the City’s tax levy and recommend the budget to the City Council.
 
 The three functions of the Budget Committee are:

1. To receive the proposed budget and budget message
2. To hold one or more public hearings following the presentation of the proposed budget; providing citizens the opportunity to comment prior to Council adoption of the budget
3. Approve the budget and set the ad valorem property taxes

The Budget Committee does not change staffing levels, salary schedules or negotiate salary contracts.  It is not the Committee’s role to adjust policies or priorities set by the Council or to add, delete, increase or decrease programs.
 
The Budget Committee can make changes to any of the line items in the budget to meet the goals and services established by the Council within the revenues projected. 
 
Individual Budget Committee members have no special authority to request information or direct staff to provide reports. However, the Budget Committee as a whole may, by committee vote, direct City administration to provide additional reports, information, data or presentations to help the Committee better understand the budget.
 
The Budget Committee plays a large role in providing communication to the community about the budget process and limitations to how a local government works.  Committee members develop a good understanding of the City’s fiscal constraints and how services are funded and thereby are able to explain the process to friends and neighbors.
 
The Council values the service of the Citizen Budget Committee Members and any advice they wish to share on the financial matters of the City.