Rogue Valley
People can often be critical of government spending, and the use and allocation of tax dollars collected. Few of those critics ever take the step to become part of the decision making process. Citizen volunteers are at the table and making those sometimes difficult choices all around Southern Oregon right now. It’s Budget season. In the RVTV Regional Network, Jackson County has completed the budget process for this year, but the cities of Medford, Ashland, and Grants Pass are in the midst of numbers crunching right now. Budget Committee members, appointed by Commissioners and Councils throughout the region, are working along side elected officials and administrative staff to set the spending course for the next two years. Channel 181 live meeting and replay schedules of all the action is available on the RVTV website here. The Medford (1pm) and Ashland (5pm) meetings from Monday, May 11 will play back today. All budget meetings are also archived on the City and County websites.
A parade of Department Heads, Community Service Organizations, and external service providers will profile work accomplished and identify financial needs for the upcoming budget cycles. Citizen participation is invited, and most budget sessions have time allocated for citizens to speak or ask questions. And volunteers are needed each year to apply for positions on the respective committees.