Pre-conference seminar
G.A. confidential

‘Budget Busters’ seminar takes local officials behind closed doors of state budget process

When: Aug. 21, 2008, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: New Bern Riverfront Convention Center
Registration: Included on full conference registration form (PDF)

Figuring out how to spend more than $20 billion is not an easy job. Each year, the state Legislature has to wade through numerous requests for new spending, review existing programs and prepare for emergencies, all while trying to please the citizens by keeping a fair system of taxation. Lots of things can happen to foul up this process, and lots of outside people try to influence the plan.

“Budget Busters: Understanding the State Budget and How Local Elected Officials Can Make a Positive Impact” is a nationally known simulation that mirrors the state budget process in the Legislature. Tom Covington, the retired director of fiscal research for the General Assembly, has developed this program based on his years of experience working with the North Carolina Legislature. He has presented this program to groups across the nation, and will present it again as a pre-conference seminar on Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center.

Participants will assume roles of senators, representatives and lobbyists and go through the budget process using actual examples from previous state budgets. Each chamber adopts its budget and then goes to a conference meeting to work on the final budget.

Contrary to popular belief, local government elected officials can wield influence into decisions that are made as the budget is taking shape, but only if they learn to read the signals and know when to act. The Budget Busters exercise is designed to help local elected officials understand the chaos and difficulty that ensues each year during the budget process (and that’s when there are no natural disasters or economic troubles) and will also provide tips on how local elected officials can best maximize their participation in this process.

The full-day seminar will feature role playing activities based on actual budget situations encountered by the General Assembly, a full-scale Appropriations Committee meeting and other hands-on, interactive sessions.

The registration fee for the seminar is $95 and is separate from the Annual Conference registration. Municipal officials are invited to attend through the Local Elected Leaders Academy.