The City of Redmond has kicked off its Budgeting by Priorities (BP) process to set spending priorities for 2011-2012. At a Monday night public meeting, at Redmond City Hall, Mayor John Marchione said the inclusive process, which will last throughout this year, is intended to “show the public we are good stewards of money” — by giving citizens a voice in determining “the price of government.”

Marchione stated, “We want to buy the best results with the money available. We’re giving you an empty basket and asking for you to fill it.”

The city first went through the BP process in 2008, to formulate the 2009-2010 budget.

At that time, focus groups identified six broad priorities:

• “I want a well-maintained city whose infrastructure keeps pace with growth.”

• “I want to live, learn, work and play in a clean and green environment.”

• “I want a sense of community and connection with others.”

• “I want to be safe where I live, learn, work and play.”

• “I want a diverse and vibrant range of businesses in Redmond.”

• “I want a city government that is responsible and responsive to its residents and businesses.”

Those guiding principles then led to discussions of specific city programs and how they could deliver “the most bang for the buck.”

Currently, BP initiatives include implementation of Redmond’s vision for two vibrant urban centers — Downtown and Overlake. Infrastructure is intended to accommodate both additional residents and workers in those areas.

Improving information technology strategies, customer service and permit processing are also some goals when considering budget priorities, the mayor noted. For example, Marchione said the city’s current Code Rewrite process is aimed at making city codes readable and understandable for everyone.

A City of Redmond survey, conducted by The Gilmore Research Group in late 2009, was helpful in getting the ball rolling for this year’s BP process. Respondents were asked about their levels of satisfaction on issues such as “quality of life,” transportation choices, public safety and more.

At Monday’s public meeting, Deputy City Administrator Jane Christenson led a brief exercise in which attendees used electronic response cards to answer some of the same questions from that survey.

In both cases, the majority of respondents said they liked the city’s amenities but were very concerned about traffic congestion.

Some at the meeting cited “too much building downtown” as contributing to “a loss of Redmond’s small town feel.” Others said that each year, it takes longer and longer to drive from one part of Redmond to another.

Most attendees seemed satisfied with progress on infrastructure in the urban growth centers. But some were concerned that older, outlying neighborhoods might not get needed improvements.

The city will continue to gather comments and questions about priorities for the next budget cycle. City staff will develop guidance on pursuing priorities. And a community workshop on May 3 will allow citizens to weigh in on budget ideas related to priorities.

For more information, visit the city’s budget Web site at www.redmond.gov/BP or e-mail questions or comments to bpquestions@redmond.gov.