The Bottom-Up Revolution Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Make Your City’s Finances More Accessible
Mar 11, 2025
David Jenkins, a city councilor in La Plata, Maryland, delves into the importance of making municipal finances accessible to residents. He discusses innovative practices for transparent budgeting that empower community participation. Jenkins shares his insights on the challenges of fiscal communication and calls for the establishment of citizen finance committees. He emphasizes the need for effective auditing and long-term planning as cities grow, encouraging stronger community engagement through financial literacy.
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Share Financial Insights
- Share insights about municipal finances and infrastructure costs with your community.
- Translate complex financial information into an accessible format.
Contentious Budget Process
- David Jenkins discusses a contentious budget process in La Plata, Maryland, involving a tax increase for staff pensions.
- The town did a poor job explaining the budget, leading to confusion among residents despite public hearings.
Using Spreadsheets for Transparency
- Inspired by Strong Towns, Jenkins created podcasts and videos explaining La Plata's budget.
- He used spreadsheets and collaborated with Michel Durand-Wood to analyze the town's finances.
