The City of Seattle just released a Levy Builder simulator in the form of a web application so that the community can understand in a fun way what goes into the design of a levy proposal, which is a special voter-approved tax to fund a particular initiative. The creator of Levy Builder, Steve Barham, answers questions about Levy Builder.

Why did the city decide to create this Levy Builder?

The Levy Builder is a web application developed to engage community members and share information about the City of Seattle’s transportation draft levy proposal. It puts the user in the shoes of City policy makers by simulating the construction of a levy package, a process which requires reflection on investment tradeoffs and balancing of transportation needs. The City created Levy Builder as an additional opportunity to get the word out and gather input on the levy proposal.

Who is the Levy Builder targeting?

We hope the Levy Builder draws more people to learn about the draft levy proposal who would not otherwise visit the levy proposal website and spark some interaction between community members, and with the City. Anyone who lives, works, or plays in Seattle will be impacted by the City’s ability to improve transit service, rehabilitate bridges, and make our sidewalks, streets, and other structures safer.

What will the City do with the information collected?

To complete the Levy Builder simulation, users must make a series of decisions, adding to or subtracting from potential levy investments until balance is achieved. The aggregate results of the simulation could provide some insight into how citizens prioritize investments and understand the levy proposal, and will complement the information collected through a well-utilized transportation priorities survey and other public feedback channels. After incorporating public feedback, the Mayor will submit the proposal to Seattle City Council in May.

What went into your thinking when you created the Levy Builder?

The Levy Builder design is based on simple and efficient conveyance of information and user interaction. A lot of attention was paid to develop a fun and engaging experience on top of what would normally be a mundane budgeting exercise. I also tried to make it interesting by incorporating themed outcomes based on the user choices. At the end of the simulation, users can share their outcome badge on Facebook.

What other tools have you created? Are more and more of these kinds of tools going to be created by the municipal government?

I created a similar app for the City called Budget Gapster, which received “Best Local Government Website” by Seattle Magazine in 2012. Levy Builder is better than Budget Gapster because it has some social media tie-ins. It encourages citizens to interact with one another, not just with the City.

There are many easy ways to create tools like these, and I think governments are still figuring out how to do it efficiently. A few years ago these types of apps would be created to target “tech savvy” citizens, but now, they probably have a more general audience. I’ve received development inquiries from other municipalities such as the Cities of Baltimore, Chicago, Riverside, Roanake, and Savannah, the Seattle Housing Authority, Nashville and Davidson County, and Humboldt County.