Community engagement opportunities for 2025 Budget Season

The City of Lawrence is kicking off another budget season — and we want your input! For the third year in a row, we’re using A Balancing Act, which is an online budget simulation tool, to gather community feedback on funding priorities for the upcoming year.

The City budget affects our entire community – every single person – which is why it’s important to our organization that we’re hearing from Lawrence residents about what you prioritize. With A Balancing Act, community members are able to make decisions and reallocate funds among programs. But keep in mind, anyone using the tool will need to balance their interests and priorities against competing priorities from other community members as they determine how to create a budget that fits the needs of the entire community.

A Balancing Act will be live and available for community use from February 1-28, 2025 (the link will not work until February 1). Community members will be able to access A Balancing Act and find more information on the 2026 budget process online at lawrenceks.org/budget/future.

Please note: Our team has combed through and refined the increments on A Balancing Act this year so they are much closer to actual service level costs. We highly encourage all users to click the “i” icon for each service level for details.

Additionally, if you’re interested in submitting a simulation as part of a larger community exercise, we encourage you to join us for one of our in-person budget engagements. You’ll work as a team to submit a budget that balances the competing priorities of everyone at the table, which can mimic the difficult choices our City leaders must make as part of the budget process.

In-person budget engagement sessions will be at the Carnegie Building, 200 W. 9th St., on the following dates:

• Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 6-8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 6-8 p.m.

Once A Balancing Act closes at the end of February, City staff will take the input gathered and present it to the Lawrence City Commission at an upcoming meeting.

This year’s tentative budget schedule is below:

• June 17: Presentation of City Manager’s Recommended 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Plan
• July 8: Presentation of City Manager’s Recommended Budget
• September 2: Budget Public Hearing and Revenue Neutral Rate Hearing
• September 16: City Commission adopts 2026 Budget

Media Contact: City Communications, citycommunications@lawrenceks.org

About the City of Lawrence 
The City of Lawrence supports an unmistakably vibrant community with innovative, equitable, transparent and responsible local government. Together, we are creating a community where everyone can enjoy life and feel at home.