The City of Salem budget reflects the City Council goals and citywide result areas. Budget planning enables the City to provide excellent customer service, foster efficient and cost-effective government, maintain the City’s healthy and stable financial position, and deliver high-quality services to meet the needs of the community. Financial transparency means providing access to financial reports and processes in a timely and reliable way.

Learn more about the proposal to revise the City’s Fiscal Year 24 Budget, covering July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

Share your opinion on budget priorities

You can use our new budget simulation tool, Balancing Act, to share your opinion on what City services are most important and at what level the services should be provided. (Para Balancing Act en español oprima aquí.) Do you think parks should be the City's top priority? How about emergency response? Business? Library? 

Balancing Act starts with the 2023-24 General Fund proposed budget and lets you adjust the simulated City budget to increase or decrease programs and services. The simulation begins in a deficit, so you can consider reductions to existing City programs and services or the addition of revenue to balance the budget. The tool provides more context about each decision and guides you through the process. Each community member entry is like a response to a survey.

Your feedback can strengthen public involvement and improve the budget process.