The City of Savannah’s Office of Management and Budget has initiated “Speak Out Savannah,” a public engagement program aimed at gathering resident input on fiscal year 2026 budget priorities. The initiative also seeks to educate the community on the city’s budget preparation process.
Two in-person meetings are scheduled as part of this initiative. The first meeting will take place on July 12 at 11 a.m. at Savannah Technical College, providing an opportunity for residents to discuss budget priorities with city staff and officials. A second meeting is planned for August 21 at 10 a.m. at the JA Colonial Group Discovery Center.
An online survey was launched in May to collect feedback from residents regarding city council priorities, satisfaction with current services, preferences for taxes and fees, and suggestions for cost savings or improved service delivery. This survey will remain open until August 31 and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous, and results will be shared with the public in the last quarter of 2025.
Paper copies of the survey are available at all City Community Centers, the Otis S. Johnson Cultural Arts Center, the Coastal Georgia Regional Center, and six branches of the Live Oak Public Library system. Locations for paper surveys can be found at savannahga.gov/budget.
Savannah operates on a fiscal year from January 1 to December 31, requiring a balanced budget by year’s end. City staff work throughout summer to prepare a proposed budget ahead of November meetings.
