Mayor Newsom announces second annual 21st Century budget town hall

- SFListens provides unique venue
for San Franciscans to participate
in a democratic budget process
- City partnering with San Francisco
State University and the Public Research Institute

From the Mayor's Office of Communications

March 15, 2006

San Francisco, CA – Mayor Newsom today announced that the 2006 SFListens will take place on Saturday, April 1, offering San Franciscans a unique opportunity to participate in this year’s budget making process. SFListens is a 21st century twist on the traditional Town Hall meeting that focuses on discussion and deliberation among real San Franciscans, utilizing technology to identify budget priorities and solutions.

This year’s SFListens is being run in collaboration with the Public Research Institute (PRI) at San Francisco State University (SFSU). PRI will facilitate the public meeting and recruit a representative profile of the City’s population to ensure that San Francisco’s diversity is represented, and heard, at the event.

Mayor Newsom called SFListens “participatory budgeting at its best,” saying “The budget must reflect the needs and priorities of all San Franciscans – not the lobbyists and advocates who understand how to work the system. SF Listens is a chance for real people to exchange information and ideas with a goal of finding common solutions.”

SFListens 2006 will take place at San Francisco State University on Saturday, April 1. The meeting is an opportunity for residents from across San Francisco to help establish funding priorities for this year’s City budget. The process involves small group discussions about the city’s budget with other San Franciscans like you, identifying potential solutions to the problems facing the City; followed by large group voting on potential resolutions. The meeting outcomes will be used by the Mayor and his staff to help inform this year’s budgeting decisions.

Transportation to and from the event will be provided free of charge.

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