South San Antonio News

SAN ANTONIO (May 17, 2024) – Councilman Whyte of District 10 expressed his enthusiasm for the advancement of Zero-Based-Budgeting (ZBB) during a Governance committee meeting held this afternoon. The Council Consideration Request (CCR), which is now headed to the Office of Management and Budget for review, was formally filed by Councilman Whyte last month with the intention of initiating ZBB for FY2027.

The ZBB approach would necessitate each city department to construct its budget from scratch, starting from a “zero base.” This method allows for an in-depth analysis of the needs and priorities of each department, ensuring that only expenses necessary to achieve desired results are approved.

Councilmember Whyte commented on the progress made, saying, “Today’s discussion on Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) was a milestone for our City. I’m incredibly grateful to my colleagues in Governance for their support and openness to this new initiative." He further emphasized that ZBB would enhance transparency between local government and constituents while holding city offices accountable for their spending.

Despite acknowledging the challenges ahead, Councilman Whyte remained optimistic about the adoption of ZBB across all city departments. "We still have a long road ahead, but I'm confident that the rest of City Council and our City Staff will be receptive to our city doing a zero-based budget," he stated. He also highlighted that implementing ZBB would ensure residents receive the best return on investment for their tax dollars.