Imagine this: You’re in charge of your city’s annual budget—big or small. Roads are crumbling, parks need upgrades, police want more funding, and residents are demanding lower taxes. What do you do?
It’s a real dilemma faced by local leaders every year. But now, residents are getting the chance to step into those shoes thanks to interactive tools like Polco’s Budget Simulation and Taxpayer Receipt. These tools aren’t just educational—they’re revolutionizing the way communities talk about money, priorities, and public trust.
From Closed-Door Decisions to Open Simulations
Local government budgeting can feel overwhelming to the average resident. Meetings are technical, documents are dense, and the stakes are high. That disconnect often leads to frustration or apathy.
Polco’s budget simulation tools break down those barriers. The Budget Simulation tool invites residents to adjust real city budget numbers, experiment with funding trade-offs, and see the consequences in real time. Want to cut the parks budget? Fine—but you’ll also see the impact on public satisfaction scores or neighborhood access.
Residents submit their budget versions directly to city officials, giving leaders tangible insights into community values.
The Tools: Budget Simulation, Taxpayer Receipt, and Prioritize
- Budget Simulation: A fully interactive experience where residents can increase, decrease, or reallocate spending across departments. Every action has a reaction, just like in the real world.
- Taxpayer Receipt: This tool breaks down a resident’s tax bill into clear, itemized services. It answers the age-old question: Where do my taxes actually go?
- Prioritize: A simple, visual tool that asks residents to rank community needs. Leaders use this data to understand what matters most.
Together, these tools educate the public and empower government with data-driven community input.
Real Results: From Santa Barbara to Shakopee
In Santa Barbara County, planners faced a massive rezoning mandate. They used Polco’s Housing Simulation (a sibling to the Budget Simulation) to visualize trade-offs, engage residents, and streamline complex decisions. The tool helped plan for over 6,240 new housing units. According to Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann,
“The tool provided real-time calculations and visualizations, enabling equitable and strategic zoning across the county. It was a transformative approach to California’s housing assessment process.”
The county earned the American Planning Association of California Public Outreach Award.
Meanwhile, Shakopee, Minnesota used the Taxpayer Receipt to boost transparency. The city paired the tool with a humorous promotional video that explained how $14 of property taxes fund snow removal on a $350,000 home. The video racked up over 22,000 views, sparking a wave of resident appreciation.
“We wanted residents to see that things like snow removal cost just $14 per year on a $350,000 home,” said the City’s communications team. “Once people saw that, they started appreciating the value they get for their taxes.”
These stories show what happens when data and storytelling work hand-in-hand.
Why It Matters Now
Trust in government is shaky. Budgets are tight. Civic engagement is hard. But interactive tools like Polco’s simulations give residents agency and insight. They shift conversations from complaints to collaboration.
They also help leaders meet people where they are: online, on their phones, and looking for simple, honest explanations.
Could You Balance the Budget?
Think you could do better? Try it yourself:
- What would you cut to make ends meet?
- Would you raise taxes or reduce services?
- How would you keep your community happy while staying fiscally responsible?
Polco’s Budget Simulation lets you find out.
Invite your residents to take the challenge, submit their versions, and discover just how complex (and empowering) public budgeting can be.
Because when residents help build the budget, they help build trust.
Explore Polco's Simulation Tools >>
