The People's Budget: Workshop Resources

Thanks to all who made it out to our workshops! Browse resources from each session, plus ongoing opportunities below.

Omaha City Budget Hearing Resources

Omaha’s 2027 city budget hearing will take place Tuesday, August 11 at 6:30 PM at the Omaha-Douglas Civic Center (aka city hall) at 1819 Farnam St. 

Here are a few day-of activities to choose from to hang out with coalition members and neighbors before the hearing starts: 

🚴 Join organizer Hannah and friends for Cycle for Our City, a community bike ride to the budget hearing! Riders will meet at 5 PM at the Community Bike Project of Omaha (525 N 33rd St) and roll out at 5:30 PM. 

🍕 Join organizer Gab and friends at 5 PM for the People’s Potluck at the picnic tables outside city hall before the hearing!

Drop-In Office Hours

Do you need support brainstorming, writing, or editing your testimony for the hearing? Stop by one of two drop-in style support sessions this week offered by coalition organizers:

Friday, August 7: Coffee chats with Clarice from 10 AM–12 PM at the North Omaha Visitors Center (2205 N 24th St.)

Sunday, August 9: Coffee chats with Gab from 1–3 PM at Urban Abbey (1026 Jackson St.)

Part Two: August 4 Workshop Notes

💸 Budget Breakdown

• Presentation slides

• 2027 Proposed Budget & Capital Improvement Plan document

🚔 Public Safety Breakout Group

• Public safety budget slides

• Public safety budget handout

🔑 Affordable Housing Breakout Group

The Free the Fees Ordinance is seeking to abolish unfair rental application fees. Workshop participants discussed their struggles with paying rental application fees, the costs of renting, the need for the City of Omaha to protect renters from being taken advantage of by landlords charging unfair rental application fees, the need for more code enforcement inspectors, and more staff for the human rights and relations department to ensure that renters' rights are protected.

• Free the Fees handout

♻️ Sustainability/Transit Breakout Group

• Sustainability slides

• Omaha Climate Action and Resilience Plan

• Vision Zero | Nebraska Public Media

• Omaha Vision Zero website

• The Benefits of Great Places to Ride | People for Bikes

• Metro Omaha website

• Bike Walk Nebraska website

Part One: July 7 Workshop Notes

People’s Budget: July 7 Presentations

• Omaha City Budget Overview

• Glimpse Into City Budget Processes

Get to Know Omaha’s Budget

• Omaha 2026 Adopted Budget

• City of Omaha Finance Department: Budget & Accounting 

Beyond Omaha: Visioning from Example

• Raleigh, North Carolina Budget Process

  • Community Budget Priorities

  • Council-Manager Form of Government

  • Current City Budget

• Chicago's Budget Process Needs a Transformation from the Civic Federation

• Budget Information from Chicago’s Office of Budget and Management

Other Resources

• Participatory Budgeting Project

• Council-Manager or “Strong Mayor” from the California City Management Foundation  and the International City/County Management Association

The People’s Budget Coalition is a grassroots network of community organizations and neighbors mobilizing Omaha residents to engage in the annual city budget process. Members include the Omaha Redress Movement, Youth Elect, and Strongly Worded Letters.