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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, October 12, 2009 Page 13 she was finding a real handicap in prioritizing in the abstract without an overall spreadsheet budget providing funding specific to each department, whether by line item or more general in nature. Councilmember Ihlan emphasized that she really needed to have that information before her for any meaningful prioritization and ultimate allocations, and asked that the City Council be provided with that in- formation, at least corresponding to the Preliminary Tax Levy to allow the City Council and public something from which to work. Councilmember Ihlan noted a recent press release from staff informing residents that it may be necessary to scale back or suspend programs and/or services in 2010; however there was not budget framework from which to determine potential cuts or suspensions. Councilmember Johnson opined that he was prepared to move forward with the Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) process as proposed by staff. Councilmember Pust opined that additional information would be needed to get to budgetary decision-making. Councilmember Pust noted her consistent skepticism about the BFO process; however, expressed her intention to listen more than speak tonight; noting that at this point, she concurred that additional information was needed. Acting Mayor Roe advised that the Springsted report had provided the 2009 budget information as a starting point, with 200 programs or functions listed, and their cost to provide in 2009. Acting Mayor Roe opined that the process of setting priorities didn't need to be linked to dollar amounts at this phase of the process; recognizing that through the remainder of the process, feedback from staff would be required as to ranking impacts for delivery of services and/or programs, at which time the numbers would feed into the process. Acting Mayor Roe opined that he was willing to do the ranking or prioritization in an abstract manner; how- ever, he recognized that it may be difficult for those not used to processing in that way or needing a proposal to react to. However, Acting Mayor Roe advised that the City Council needed to make some indications to staff and the community of their proposed rankings, allowing their reaction, negatively or positively; and in light of the not-to-exceed preliminary levy in place. Councilmember Ihlan noted that the Preliminary Levy had been set, without a corresponding budget, with a budget needed as a benchmark to ensure that the City Council didn't miss their absolute deadline of December 31, 2009. Coun- cilmember Ihlan requested receipt of a budget, as previously requested, by Octo- ber 26, 2009, allowing the City Council and public alternatives to consider. Councilmember Ihlan advised that she could not get around the concept of BFO and ranking without a global budget as a framework. Ihlan moved, Pust seconded, requesting a 2010 staff-recommended budget, simi- lar to that presented in 2009, as a framework for the BFO process.