WHEREAS, the citizens of Seattle rightly expect that their city government will implement programs in the most effective and efficient manner possible, especially in the priority areas of public safety, human services, economic opportunity, and
environmental stewardship; and
WHEREAS, achieving specific and desired outcomes begins by clearly defining what the City intends to accomplish for its citizens and requires accurately assessing the effectiveness of City action toward this end; and
WHEREAS, the City Council introduced on August 13, 2012 and adopted unanimously on September 10, 2012 a substantially similar Resolution to foster performance and evaluations as part of the 2013-14 city budget; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor wrote on September 20, 2012 that "Adoption of this resolution came after preparation of the 20132014 Proposed Budget..." and, therefore, "...the specifics of the resolution could not be incorporated into the 2013-2014 budget
submittal"; and
WHEREAS, the Council was able to amend the Mayor's 2013-2014 budget to include independent evaluations of certain new and expanded programs to ensure that the results of those programs will be evaluated for the people of Seattle; and
WHEREAS, adopting this new Resolution at least eight months ahead of the Mayor's submittal of the budget for 2014 will provide the Mayor and City Budget Office with ample time to design and budget for thorough and independent evaluations of any new or
expanded programs;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:
Section 1. In its review of the 2014 Proposed Budget, the Council has the following expectations and intends to consider four main questions when acting upon the proposed funding of new programs or significant changes to existing programs (such as
proposed increases in funding):
A. What is the long-term and measurable goal(s) of the program? Council expects that new or significantly changed programs will articulate clear, specific, and measurable goals.
B. What is the gap between the status quo and the program goal(s)? A clear, specific, and quantifiable assessment of the status quo, such as a statistical baseline, will be essential for tracking results and determining the feasibility of achieving the
goal(s).
C. How effective is the new program expected to be in making progress toward the stated goal(s)? Budget proposals for new or significantly changed programs, should include forecasts of expected outcomes. These forecasts should be described in terms of
clear, specific, and quantifiable progress toward the program goals, and the specific time period over which this progress will be made, including the short-term (within the next 12 months) and, where appropriate, the medium-term. The forecasts of
effectiveness should be supported by high quality evidence (such as objective studies of program outcomes with clear, specific, and quantifiable results and a control group) of how comparable programs have been implemented elsewhere, or describe the
specific basis for the forecasts presented.
D. How will the success of the new or changed program be measured? Successful proposals will include a specific plan for clearly measuring and evaluating program outcomes.
1. For any new or expanded program attempting to replicate a model successfully implemented and rigorously evaluated elsewhere, the Council will expect the Mayor's 2014 budget submittal to include written, independent evidence that the new or expanded
program is significantly similar to the model, is being implemented with fidelity (in the same manner as the model program), and that a clear process and timeline for tracking specific and quantifiable progress toward the program goal(s) has been
established.
2. For programs that adopt more innovative approaches where success has not been previously demonstrated by high quality evidence (such as objective studies of program outcomes with clear, specific, and quantifiable results and a control group), the
Council expects the Mayor's 2014 budget submittal to include the funding and design for independent program evaluations that will be completed or will provide interim results to the Council prior to the Mayor's submittal of the 2015 budget. The
independent evaluations shall include (i) a clear process and timeline for tracking specific and measurable program outcomes and (ii) a methodology for comparing the outcomes of those targeted by the program with a comparable group not affected by
program implementation.
Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of ____________________, 2013, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this________ day
of ______________________, 2013.
_________________________________
President ___________of the City Council
Filed by me this ____ day of ________________________,2013.
____________________________________
Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Alex Pedersen LEG Budget and Performance RES January 8, 2013 Version #3