Yesterday, the Council's Budget & Finance Committee had a working session to consider the "Wish List" items proposed by various Council members for the operating budget.  All Council members were invited, and I think the video should be available online.

Just before the meeting, we were handed a brief summary of the changes requested by different members of the Council. As I write this, I don't think that summary document is online anywhere. You'll have to pardon my notes, but here's my copy of the summary.  It is worth noting that the total price tag on everything being requested by the Council for the operating budget would come to about $2,000,000.  If all of it were to be included, it would represent approximately a 0.1% increase in the Mayor's proposed $2 billion operating budget.

The format for the meeting was for the Council member proposing a change to briefly present what they wanted to change in the operating budget and to also propose a funding source. Then other Council members could comment. There was not very much debate, and there were no votes taken.

At the meeting, we were told that Chair Pridemore and the Metro Finance Director (possibly with others from Metro Finance and the Council's staff??) would meet between now and Friday to formulate a substitute budget, that the substitute budget would be circulated to Council members on Friday, and that any proposed amendments to the substitute budget will be due by noon next Monday in advance of the Tuesday Council meeting.

As this is my first Metro budget process, I am still learning the process. I am curious to see what, if any, changes come in the substitute budget.