City Kicks Off FY 2027-28 City Budget Process with Online Public Survey

Mayor Malik D. Evans today announced the start of the City’s annual budget process with the launch of an online survey and a series of other opportunities for public input and feedback.  

The online survey can be found at www.CityofRochester.Gov/Budget.  The survey is one of several community input opportunities embedded into the budget process, including in-person outreach activities at local events and a live Telephone Town Hall.  

Public feedback will help guide the City’s spending plan for the 2027-2028 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2027, and extends to June 30, 2028. 

“The City budget is more than a spending plan,” said Mayor Evans. “It is a commitment to our values and priorities. It reflects difficult choices driven by the same shifting economic and social conditions that affect households and businesses across Rochester. It’s important to me that community members understand how our budget is developed and are able to weigh in on what services and programs should be prioritized.” 

Continuing the practice started in his first year in office, Mayor Evans is gathering public input early in the budget process, so it can inform the development of the budget that will be submitted to City Council in May 2027 for their consideration and final approval in June.  

The online survey launched today and will remain open on the City website until Nov. 9. The digital feedback form asks residents and stakeholders to rank a wide range of City services and programs, including core City functions like public safety and youth services, as well as other investments to improve quality of life. Members of the City’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will also engage the community at several in-person outreach events, giving residents a chance to offer feedback through hands-on activities. 

Scheduled outreach activities include: 

• Community Resource Fair,

  11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, 63 Thomas St. 

• ROC the Block Community Employment Fair,

  11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 23, Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St. 

• MVP Healthcare Fall Festival, 

  11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St. 

• Westside Farmers Market, 

  4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 6, St. Monica’s Church parking lot, 831 Genesee St. 

• The Rochester Public Market, 

  8:30 to 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, 280 N. Union St. 

OMB will also conduct its annual Telephone Town Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, providing thousands of city residents an opportunity to participate in a live discussion by phone with Mayor Evans and senior members of his staff. City residents interested in signing up to participate in the Telephone Town Hall can sign up on the City’s website. 

The 2027-28 budget will be released on May 7, 2027. For more information on the budget process and in-person events, to take the 2027-28 Budget Input Survey, and to sign up to participate in the Telephone Town Hall, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/budget.