Polco

?? Where Do Your Tax Dollars Really Go? Budgeting shouldn’t be a mystery. With Polco’s Taxpayer Receipt, residents can see exactly how their tax dollars are spent—before and after the budgeting process. ?? Step 1: Understand Current Spending – A personalized receipt shows where every dollar is allocated, from public safety to parks & recreation. ?? Step 2: Have Your Voice Heard – Engage in the budgeting process with real data, providing input on what matters most to your community. ?? Step 3: See the Impact – After the budget is finalized, revisit the Taxpayer Receipt to track changes and ensure transparency. This is how we rethink budgeting—by making it transparent, interactive, and resident-driven. ?? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eYfb6kjw #RethinkingBudgeting #PublicFinance #TaxTransparency #CivicEngagement #Polco

Are you ready to make budgeting more accessible and collaborative? Join the movement toward smarter, more effective public finance. Read more about how Polco’s Budget Simulation is changing the game! #LocalGovernment #Budgeting #CivicEngagement #GovTech #Transparency #PublicFinance ?? https://lnkd.in/eEqWt3YC

??Rethinking Public Budgeting with Polco ?? For too long, local government budgets have been complex, bureaucratic, and difficult for residents to engage with. But what if the public could experience budget decisions firsthand—balancing priorities, understanding trade-offs, and shaping their community’s future? With Polco’s Budget Simulation, residents step into the shoes of decision-makers, making real-time choices about funding schools, public safety, infrastructure, and more. The result? A more transparent, engaging, and community-driven budgeting process. ?? Interactive & Educational – Residents see the real impact of budget decisions. ?? Data-Driven Insights – Policymakers get meaningful public input. ?? Transparency & Trust – A better way to engage communities in financial planning. Are you ready to make budgeting more accessible and collaborative? Join the movement toward smarter, more effective public finance. ?? Read more about how Polco’s Budget Simulation is changing the game! #LocalGovernment #Budgeting #CivicEngagement #GovTech #Transparency #PublicFinance ?? https://lnkd.in/eEqWt3YC

??Governments are doing more with less—but AI is here to help! From answering public inquiries 24/7 to streamlining grant applications and reducing staff workload, AI-powered chatbots are changing the way governments operate. Polco’s AI chatbots are purpose-built for the public sector, making services more efficient, transparent, and cost-effective. ? Reduce workload & free up staff for higher-priority work ? Provide tailored, well-crafted AI responses based on local policies ? Improve transparency & build trust with 24/7 availability ? Make complicated processes easier for residents and employees ? Maximize limited budgets & resources ?? Want to see how it works? Explore the possibilities and request a proof of concept today at https://lnkd.in/erhknCVd The future of government efficiency is here! #GovTech #AI #CivicEngagement #SmartGovernment #AIChatbot

?? The future of public finance is here! Local governments can no longer rely on outdated budgeting methods that fail to address evolving challenges.?Rethinking Budgeting, a new approach from Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), shifts focus from incremental changes to?strategic, community-driven financial planning. Learn how adopting these modern budgeting principles can make your city’s finances more?transparent, resilient, and effective! Read our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/edM4mDuv #PublicFinance #Budgeting #LocalGovernment #CivicEngagement #FiscalResponsibility #RethinkingBudgeting

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow ??, and we thought we’d celebrate love of data—by taking a closer look at some of the best U.S. cities for that special someone. We looked at all of Polco's data to see what makes each place uniquely perfect for a memorable date night. While our analysis did favor more populated areas, we also highlighted hidden gems that bring their own distinctive charm. We identified 25 cities that scored high in at least one of our four date categories: * Outdoorsy ??: For those who love nature, scenic trails, and park adventures. * Nerdy ??: Ideal for museum-goers, history enthusiasts, and cultural explorers. * Healthy ??♀?: Perfect for couples who enjoy wellness, fitness, and a health-conscious vibe. * Bougie ??: For those looking for an upscale, chic experience. What’s really exciting? Some cities scored high in multiple areas, making them prime candidates for our Top 10! Check out the table below for a full breakdown - Top 10 are highlighted in red. Happy Valentine’s Day, and here’s to finding love in all its unique forms! ??

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow ??, and we thought we’d celebrate love of data—by taking a closer look at some of the best U.S. cities for that special someone. We looked at all of Polco's data to see what makes each place uniquely perfect for a memorable date night. While our analysis did favor more populated areas, we also highlighted hidden gems that bring their own distinctive charm. We identified 25 cities that scored high in at least one of our four date categories: * Outdoorsy ??: For those who love nature, scenic trails, and park adventures. * Nerdy ??: Ideal for museum-goers, history enthusiasts, and cultural explorers. * Healthy ??♀?: Perfect for couples who enjoy wellness, fitness, and a health-conscious vibe. * Bougie ??: For those looking for an upscale, chic experience. What’s really exciting? Some cities scored high in multiple areas, making them prime candidates for our Top 10! Check out the table below for a full breakdown - Top 10 are highlighted in red. Happy Valentine’s Day, and here’s to finding love in all its unique forms! ??

??? Did you know Polco has a newsletter? ??? We do! Our Civil Review newsletter brings government leaders interesting insights and original articles about the latest data by the National Research Center at Polco. From deep dives into nation-wide trends to tips on professional development, your subscription to The Civil Review gives you unlimited access to exclusive resources including guides, white papers, training, and webinars offered by the nation’s leading survey scientists and community engagement experts. Monthly, free, and informative - sign up today! https://hubs.ly/Q036hls80 #civilreview #polconewsletter #LocalGov #Innovation #PublicSector

?? GFOA's Rethinking Budgeting Initiative in Action. ?? We're proud to share how our partnership with Tyler Technologies is already helping cities embrace GFOA's Rethinking Budgeting best practices: Community Voice → Budget Reality Data-Driven Decisions → Better Outcomes Transparent Process → Increased Trust "The integration of community feedback directly into our budgeting process has transformed how we make decisions." - [Quote from early adopter city manager] Learn how leading municipalities are putting these principles into practice: https://hubs.ly/Q035BPSz0 #LocalGov #GFOA #MunicipalFinance #Innovation

?? Alrighty! The Super Bowl is just six days away, and we’ve finalized our list of the... *Top 10 Cities That Should Have an NFL Team (but don’t)!* Yesterday, we shared some honorable mentions and the background on how we used a mountain of data to determine which cities should have an NFL team—based on everything we know about their population, economy, regional influence, and more. Important note: This isn’t about which cities would field a *winning* team (we’ll leave that debate to the experts). This is about which cities would best support a team. And after crunching the numbers, here’s what we found: ?? Top 10 Cities That Should Have an NFL Team (but don’t): 10. Birmingham, AL 9. Tulsa, OK 8. Portland, OR 7. Omaha, NE 6. Lincoln, NE 5. Louisville, KY 4. Oklahoma City, OK 3. Orlando, FL 2. St. Louis, MO 1. Austin, TX ?? Congrats to Austin for taking the top spot! And shoutout to Nebraska and Oklahoma for pulling double duty with two cities each. In fact, with Lincoln/Omaha and OKC/Tulsa so close together, we were actually wondering if we should have considered regional teams (a la the New England Patriots) in the future ??. In any case, this was a fun project, especially given the wild diversity of the longest-tenured NFL teams across the country (and, increasingly, the world). Many thanks to Michelle Kobayashi, Erin Caldwell, and Parker Quinn from the Polco team for lending their neurons to this one while also juggling 450+ local and state governments around the country. Bonus points to anyone that comes up with the name and logo for a team from Austin or...Southeast Nebraska?