On this episode of Quest for Better Budgeting, host Andrew Lewin interviews Natalie Harnett, the Principal Budget Analyst for the city of San Luis Obispo. They discuss the importance of transparency in budgeting and how San Luis Obispo engages with its citizens to build trust. Natalie shares insights on their feedback gathering process and future plans for enhanced transparency. Tune in to learn more about building trust with a transparent budget.

In this episode of "The Quest for Better Budgeting," the former mayor of Salt Lake City and state senator of Utah, Ben McAdams, discusses the concept of urban wealth funds. He shares his experience of discovering untapped wealth within the city's real estate assets and how he used it to fund new programs without raising taxes. McAdams also talks about his collaboration with the GFOA to help other cities realize their assets and generate revenue for various programs. Tune in to learn more about how to put assets to work in urban wealth funds.

Find out about the GFOA cohort project: https://www.gfoa.org/paw

Connect with Ben McAdams: benmcadams@gmail.com

Links to articles about Urban Wealth Funds (UWF):
Are local governments leaving billions on the table: https://www.governing.com/community/are-local-governments-leaving-billions-on-the-table
New users of public assets are helping Atlanta fill its affordable housing app: https://www.governing.com/housing/new-uses-of-public-assets-are-helping-atlanta-fill-its-affordable-housing-gap
Localities look to an untapped 'Goldmine' of Potential Revenue: https://www.route-fifty.com/finance/2022/07/underused-city-assets-local-government-revenue/373913/

Do you want to ensure that your budgeting process is fair and equal for all members of your community? Are you looking for a solution to achieve more equitable outcomes? Look no further. Our guest, Shayne Kavanagh, will be sharing her expertise on how to incorporate equity into your budgeting process. By using a balanced approach and engaging with the community, Shayne will show you how to achieve outcomes that are just and unbiased. With his guidance, you can achieve the goal of creating a budget that is truly equitable - one that benefits everyone in your community.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Gain insights into setting up fairness and equality in budgeting practices.

• Learn to master conflicting forces in the budgeting process, including symbolic versus substantial matters and balancing idealism and pragmatism.

• Acquire a roadmap to implement equity-based budgeting through dedication, adopting program budgeting, and strategic turn-the-curve planning.

• Appreciate the role of community interaction and ongoing education in the development of significant and equitable budgeting results.

Shayne Kavanagh, an accomplished leader in the realm of government finance and equitable budgeting. With a steadfast commitment to advocating for fairness in budget decision-making, Shayne has made a profound impact in guiding government finance officials as they strive for equal outcomes. In his role as Senior Manager of Research at the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), Shayne's expertise has been instrumental in shaping budgeting practices throughout North America. Listen in as he shares his wealth of knowledge on the crucial importance of equity in budgeting and its impact on the well-being of communities.