Alachua County began to conceptualize the Alternative Futures: Community Conversations program as a means to both include citizen input into the budgetary process, as well as address an unprecedented historic decline in public sector revenues. The whole state of Florida was in economic decline due to:

• The downturn in property values resulting in declining property tax collections,
• Legislative actions such as Save our Homes and Amendment 1 which create revenue limiting caps,
• Reduced travel and increasingly fuel efficient cars resulting in lower gas taxes,
• Increased unemployment and other factors resulting in lower sales taxes.

Furthermore, the state was facing a historic decline in construction and a historic increase in foreclosures.  Alachua County, while not hit as hard as some of the coastal counties, was no exception and it too was looking at the probability of having to reduce staff, services, and operations in order to adapt in this new economic climate.

This case study was submitted to the Alliance for Innovation for consideration at the 2010 Transforming Local Government conference.