Budget Public Hearings (all starting at 6 p.m.) and Public Comment is taken:

• Thursday, June 9, 2009
• Thursday, July 16, 2009
• Tuesday, September 8, 2009 (First State-Required Public Hearing to adopt tentative millage rates and a tentative budget)
• Thursday, September 17, 2009 (Second State-Required Public Hearing to adopt final millage rates and the FY 10 operating and capital budgets)

Budget Workshops (all starting at 1:30 p.m.) and NO Public Comment is taken:

• Thursday, June 11, 2009
• Thursday, June 18, 2009
• Thursday, July 16, 2009
• Wednesday, July 22, 2009
• Wednesday, July 29, 2009 (if needed)
• Thursday, July 30, 2009 - Budget Reconciliation

Hillsborough County government is advancing citizen participation with its budget review process this year. The public will have a variety of opportunities to give their ideas and opinions and find more out about the budget from the comfort of their home or office.

Championed by County Commissioner Al Higginbotham, the four public hearings this year for the proposed budget will be interactive, and allow residents to call in or email questions and comments during the meetings. In addition to attending in person, residents will be able to watch the meeting live on Hillsborough Television (HTV) on Bright House channel 622 or Verizon and Comcast channel 22 or on the County's Web site at: www.hillsboroughcounty.org/budgetmatters through live streaming video. Viewers then will be able to submit questions or comments to a special email address: hcbudget@hillsboroughcounty.org; by using an online budget email form on the County's Web site; or with a special phone number: (813) 307-8337. All comments and questions will be relayed to the County Commissioners during the hearings, with some read out loud as time allows.

The public hearings are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, June 9; Thursday, July 16; Tuesday, September 8; and Thursday, September 17. All the meetings start at 6 p.m. and will be held in the County Center, 2nd Floor Boardroom, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., downtown Tampa. Public Comment is taken.

Throughout the budget review process until the budget is adopted on Sept. 17, residents also will be able to give the County Commissioners their opinion via several methods. Residents can call the phone number listed above and leave a voicemail message, which will be checked regularly; they can send an email to the address listed above or use the online budget email form on the County's Web site; or they can upload a question or comment video via YouTube and submit the link to the County to view.

Additionally, residents also will be able to view all budget workshops conducted by the County Commission via television, live streaming video on the County's Web site as mentioned above, or in person. Typically, there is not a public comment period during these workshops. The remaining workshops will be held in the County Center, 2nd Floor Boardroom, on Thursday, June 11; Thursday, June 18; Thursday, July 16, Wednesday, July 22; Wednesday, July 29 (if needed); and Thursday, July 30 (budget reconciliation).

More information and instructions for all comment options, a link to the dates of the budget hearings and workshops, and to the actual budget document in its entirety is available on the County's Web site. A prominent graphic on the homepage will take you the budget section.

Our budget matters, let your voice be heard.