As Wellington prepares to release its preliminary 2015 budget, the village has launched its OpenGov web site, giving the public access to how Wellington spends its tax dollars. Wellington is the first government entity in Florida to utilize this program.
OpenGov is accessed through the village’s web site, www.wellingtonfl.gov. It offers comparisons on revenue and spending beginning with 2010 for all village departments.
“Our new budget web site gives residents a better way to see how their tax dollars are being collected and spent, making Wellington’s government more transparent and accountable,” Village Manager Paul Schofield said.
The new web site complements “Open Wellington,” which launched five years ago and shows all village transactions. Open Wellington is best for looking for specific financial information, while OpenGov is best for analyzing budgeting information and trends. Together, they provide an unprecedented interactive window into the details of Wellington’s budget and finances.
Village staff is also conducting the yearly “Budget Challenge” survey, a way to engage residents and stakeholders in the budget process. It will aid in readying the proposed budget and assessment rates, which must be first adopted in July, with final adoption in September.
Each year, Wellington develops, implements and evaluates plans for the provision of services and capital assets. These plans are based on levels of service to determine how much should be allocated to each agency to achieve its set of goals. Wellington invites residents to participate in the “Budget Challenge” survey to help the village set priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.
