My rear end is falling asleep

In local government there are few things more painful than budget hearings during an election year. Everyone wants to appear both simultaneously generous to special interests, and fiscally responsible to the average voter. The result would be entertaining if it didn't involve hours of meetings.

I've actually gotten of the hook easy this year. I was out of town with mom when the division budget was presented, so a member of my staff made the pitch (and did a good job too). Our budget is straightforward enough that we escaped without too many questions. The Council is also changing as the city grows and the budget becomes more complicated. There are a lot fewer line item questions ("Mr. Briggs, do you really need $6,000 dollars a year for office supplies?" "No, I suppose we could go back to stealing pens from the bank again."), and a lot more programmatic and policy questions. There is also a lot of collaboration with the Treasurer's office in

As a manager the most painful part is the slash. We were a little more than three million short in requested allocations versus revenue this year. After the tally is made, all of the departments and divisions are asked to trim. Every manager slides in a little slush (cushion, conservative estimate, Cayman island fund... whatever your little heart wants to call it) into the division budget. Part of these contingencies are practical and ethical. Bids rarely match estimates, emergencies happen, and unforeseen opportunities emerge. What kills is murdering darlings. Realizing that your pet project or piece of equipment may be really cool, but does it really outweigh replacing the 1978 Ford that some poor guy in the Utilities division has had to drive?

Still you do have to reward your division from time to time.