CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — The City of Charleston is hosting a free workshop aimed at helping residents better understand how the city’s budget works and how they can have a voice in shaping spending decisions.
The “Your City, Your Budget” workshop, hosted by the city’s Economic and Neighborhood Services Division at the Gaillard Center, comes as Charleston recently adopted its largest budget to date. The 2026 budget totals $381 million, a 9% increase from the previous year.
City officials said the size and growth of the budget make education about where that money goes more important than ever, and the response from residents has exceeded expectations.
“I’ve been absolutely floored that we are sold out,” Becca Hopkins, the city’s neighborhood services manager, said. “I’m pumped that people care.”
Hopkins said the workshop was scheduled intentionally at this point in the year to give residents time to understand the process before major budget decisions are finalized for 2027.
“The reason that we are doing it right now, this time of year, is because we had to wait for a lull in the budget director’s schedule,” Hopkins said. “One thing he’s going to talk about in this presentation is how the budget process works throughout the calendar year.”
She said that timing allows residents to follow along as the budget develops.
“Throughout the summer, the budget ad hoc committee, City Council and city staff will be working on developing the budget so that it can be approved in December,” Hopkins said. “This is a really good time for people to learn how the process works so they can watch it over the next few months.”
Hopkins said understanding the city budget matters because of how directly it affects residents’ everyday lives.
“The city has kind of the most direct impact on your day-to-day life and livability,” she said. “Where the money that the city spends is going to impact your commute. It’s going to impact your trash pickup and all kinds of things that are directly related to what you experience day to day.”
The workshop will walk participants through how Charleston’s budget is built, where city revenue comes from, what funds can and cannot be used for as well as when public input has the greatest impact. Attendees will also learn how to read the city budget, identify which departments oversee specific issues and advocate for priorities in their own neighborhoods. On top of that, the session includes a hands-on activity and take-home resources.
“If you’re a taxpayer, then you should know what your money is going towards,” Hopkins said. “If you have an opinion about something the city touches, you should know what the city is doing about it and whether it’s within the city’s jurisdiction.”
Hopkins said informed participation helps city leaders better respond to community needs.
“When people participate in a meaningful way, engaged and informed, it makes it a lot easier for us to make the city a better place to live because we know what people want,” she said. “Part of that is understanding when the best time is to be heard and what jurisdiction applies to the issue they’re advocating around.”
Key priorities in the 2026 budget include increased compensation for city employees, with a proposed 3% cost-of-living adjustment for approximately 1,900 staff members to help offset rising health care costs and inflation. The budget also emphasizes maintaining city facilities and expanding affordable housing efforts.
Thursday’s in-person workshop is sold out, but the city plans to post a recorded version on its website. Officials said additional educational sessions are already planned, including a zoning-focused workshop scheduled for April in partnership with the city’s planning department.
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