With only essential businesses open and record high unemployment claims throughout Texas and the U.S., the city is facing potentially historic reductions in tax revenue.
Last year, Houston City Council voted to commit to follow a zero-based budgeting approach for the fiscal year 2020-21 budget, meaning each expenditure needs to be justified by department heads rather than assumed to be carried over from the previous fiscal year.
All workshops are streamed on HTV, and residents can provide feedback remotely by following the city’s new public meeting guidelines.
Below is the workshop schedule.
April 7
10 a.m.: Police department
11 a.m.: Fire department
April 9
1 p.m.: Finance department
2 p.m.: Mayor’s office
3 p.m.: Controller’s office
April 14
9 a.m.: City Council
10 a.m.: General services
11 a.m.: Library
April 16
1 p.m.: Planning and development
2 p.m.: Department of neighborhoods
3 p.m.: Parks and recreation
April 23
1 p.m.: Office of Business Opportunity
2 p.m.: Human Resources
April 29
1 p.m.: Administration & Regulatory Affairs
2 p.m.: Solid Waste
3 p.m.: Houston Health
April 30
1 p.m.: Municipal courts
2 p.m.: Housing
3 p.m.: Legal
May 13
1 p.m.: Special called meeting, five-year forecast
2 p.m.: Houston Public Works
3 p.m.: Information Technology
May 14
1 p.m.: Fleet
2 p.m.: Houston Airport System
May 20
1 p.m.: Special meeting, trends report
June 3
9 a.m.: Public hearing of proposed FY 2020-21 budget, City Council vote
