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OTD in 2015—Park Finance Office head Valentina Abeja to present 2016 budget in August

May 19, 2025 By Imko Oaljefanta, TMD Archivist

Budget

“There will be no budget before its time.”—PFO head Valentina Abeja

Citing, among other things, the need for more time to consider the input of citizens, the head of the Park Finance Office (PFO) confirmed that she will not be able to present a 2016 budget before mid-August.

At a press conference this afternoon, Abeja attempted to reassure citizens that her first budget would be a well-considered document, responsive to both the present and future needs of The Park.

“There will be no budget before its time,” she told reporters.

“There is much to deliberate upon, especially since there was effectively no budget this year,” said Abeja, who has held the position since mid-February.

Last month, in an interview with Toro Talk Radio host Yannis Tavros, Abeja said it was important for the PFO head to be mindful of the needs and aspirations of all Park citizens, while acknowledging the immense diversity of The Park’s population.

“A budget speaks to every Animal’s priorities and hopes for the future, every Animal’s identification with its own species and our collective desires for all Park citizens,” she said.

The last Park budget was presented on August 30, 2014 by former PFO head Milton Struts. That budget proved so controversial that it was scuttled almost immediately and Struts was relieved of his position shortly thereafter.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy and Business, On This Day, Park Life Tagged With: 2016 budget, economy, finance

On This Day—August 21, 2015: Budget 2016: Analysis and commentary

August 21, 2023 By Imko Oaljefanta, TMD Archivist

Since their unveiling on Tuesday afternoon, The 2016 Park Expense Projections have been met with an enthusiasm not seen in the past few years. Many citizens have praised PFO head Valentina Abeja for presenting a “thoughtful” budget, while others, who may have had unrealistic expectations, have said they’re satisfied, if not outright pleased.

The Mammalian Daily had the opportunity to speak with Abeja after her Tuesday afternoon press conference. Since then, our financial, social, health, weather, and education experts have pored over the figures. We present here a point form scoring, as well as analysis and commentary:

budget 2016

  • Overall Score: 7
  • Business Support: 7
  • Research Support: 7
  • Healthcare: 4
  • Immigration and Refugee Support: 4
  • Safety and Security: 4
  • Education: 8
  • Quality of Park Life: 8
  • Environmental Impact: 10
  • Look to the Future: 10

It was a difficult budget to score fairly since, to Abeja’s credit, it took into consideration many important items for which, in the past, expenditures have not been allocated.

The Mammalian Daily gave a score of seven to items such as support for business and for research. This may seem harsh because, heretofore, there has been no budget allocation for either. We are mindful, as well, that funds are limited and we have high praise for Abeja for setting aside any funds at all. Within that framework, then, a score of seven should be seen as an overwhelmingly positive one.

Abeja said on Thursday that scrapping budget funds for tourism was high on her list and that she met with little opposition to the idea. We agree completely with this decision. Those funds have found their way into other areas that will surely benefit Park citizens more than tourism ever can.

We were alarmed at the reduction in funds for healthcare. No longer a big ticket item, Abeja has designated only eight percent of the budget for what is now termed “health and well-being.” This is an eleven percent reduction from the 2014 budget. Abeja explained that some of the healthcare funds have been re-allocated to the areas of research, food production, weather, water, and business support. After extensive consultation with health professionals and with The Park’s food and weather makers, Abeja said she decided that spending now on items that will prevent illness in the future was the best route to take. The wisdom of that decision remains to be seen, but with a constantly growing population, we are somewhat skeptical and, therefore, gave the budget a score of four for healthcare.

We were puzzled, as well, at the two percent reduction in funds for immigrant and refugee support. Abeja pointed out to us that she had doubled the funds for education, which she believed would relieve some of the burden on I and R services. She also claimed that support for Park businesses would help new Park residents support themselves financially. Once again, that remains to be seen, but since some immigration services, such as the Extinction Anxiety Clinic, receive healthcare funding, we are dismayed at the reduction of both. We, therefore, gave the budget a score of four for immigrant and refugee support.

Most notable to some in The Park was the reduction in security funding. While the 2014 budget allocated a full twenty-three percent, Abeja has reduced this to fifteen percent. Many feel she has taken a big chance by making this move. Abeja seems to be counting on her spending in other areas, such as education, arts funding, and special events, to produce peace in The Park. Recent statistics have proven, however, that certain kinds of tensions are escalating and we question whether Stereotype Sundays will be enough to keep them at bay. As well, we believe the reduction will likely over-burden volunteer peacekeepers such as the Doves and Does of Peace. For this reason, we gave the budget a score of four for safety and security.

On its own, the doubling of funds for education seems a wonderful and timely idea. While we gave the budget a score of eight for education, we remain cognizant that some of that funding came from areas that should not have seen their funds shrink. The results of this re-allocation remain to be seen.

Abeja adjusted the figures for arts and sports funding this year, equalizing them at four percent and allocating six percent for special events. We cannot quibble with this and, therefore, gave the budget a score of eight in this area for overall quality of life in The Park.

In terms of environmental impact, this budget works very well. By allocating funds directly to weather, groundskeeping, water, research, and food production, Abeja has managed to use over a third of the budget to ensure The Park’s environmental health and longevity. For this, coupled with the de-funding of tourism, which had a detrimental effect on our environment, we offer high praise and a score of ten.

Finally, whether all the changes that come with the 2016 budget work in the long run, Abeja has made every effort to ensure that this a forward-looking budget and for this reason, we have given it a score of ten in this regard. She has supported research and the environment and looked to secure a future in The Park for our citizens and residents. For this we commend Abeja and her team at the Park Finance Office.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy and Business, Park Life Tagged With: 2016 budget, government spending

On This Day—August 18, 2015: Budget preview: “The budget is a very hard needle to thread.”

August 18, 2023 By Imko Oaljefanta, TMD Archivist

2016 Budget

Today is Budget Day in The Park

Will she or won’t she? And, will she or won’t she what?

Those are just a couple of the questions on the minds of all engaged Park citizens, as we await the presentation of the Park Expense Projections for 2016 (The Park Finance Office’s formal name for the budget).

PFO head Valentina Abeja will present the budget to the Archons at four o’clock this afternoon and she has scheduled a press conference immediately following the presentation.

This will be Abeja’s first budget and many financial, social, and health experts have weighed in on what they believe should be included in the budget. The Mammalian Daily recently spoke to some of them about their hopes now that budget day is here. Below are their responses (Please note: responses have been edited due to space limitations):

Aintza Kanariar, Director of Public Relations, Department of Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations: “I’m hoping for at least the same level of support that we’ve had in the past. Our celebrations are a fundamental part of Park life.”

Wellington Whistlepig, president, Park Association of Shops and Services (PASS): “It may be too much to hope for, but we could use some official support, even one percent of the budget. We’ve been supporting The Park through tough times for years and an acknowledgement of that fact would go a long way.”

Kalliope Sun Bear, president, Weather Makers, Producers and Sellers Alliance of The Park (WMPSAP): “We made a number of presentations to the new PFO head and we felt she was receptive to what we were saying. I have every confidence that she will abide by some of our suggestions—in particular, that the Weather Office purchase weather produced by Park manufacturers.”

A.P. Civet, president, Society of Concerned Park Cultivators, Planters, Growers, and Farmers (SCPCPGF): “We’ve found the new PFO head to be quite thoughtful and willing to listen. I believe she understands our situation better than those who’ve held her job previously. Food production is fundamental to our life here. We are quite optimistic about the new budget.”

Hermione Hippo, head nurse, Park Hospital for the Afflicted and Infirm, assistant professor, UWT School of Medicine: “For the last while, ‘health’ has been subsumed under the category of  ‘residents’ requirements’ and, as a result, I don’t believe it has been properly supported. Health issues—physical, mental and emotional—are a big part of our lives here and require not only treatment and support, but research funding. I hope the new PFO head understands that.”

Inez Gallina, president of the refugee aid group Home to Roost: “Apart from our autochthonous citizens, The Park’s population has historically been made up of immigrants and refugees. With our open immigration policy, the funding requirements grow every year. I hope Valentina Abeja fully understands that fact and respects the work of all of us in immigrant and refugee aid. I realize that funds are limited, but we cannot in all conscience or practicality invite Animals to make The Park their home if we offer them no assistance.”

Gareth Shepherd, president, Federation of Canine Security Workers (FCSW): “Security has become more of an issue the past few years and while we have always supplemented a paid force with volunteers such as the Doves—and now Does— of Peace, we still require more of the budget than we have been receiving. I hope the new PFO head values peace and security as much as other Park citizens do.”

Magnus P. Marmoset, holder of the Simian Chair in Political Philosophy at the University of West Terrier: “The  budget is a very hard needle to thread. Agreement on the allocation of funds can never be one hundred per cent. We all have different hopes and dreams and priorities. My own hope is that PFO head Valentina Abeja will learn from the past, but look to the future.”

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy and Business, Park Life Tagged With: 2016 budget, park economy

Budget 2016: Analysis and commentary

August 21, 2015 By Adelbert Mókus, TMD Financial Reporter

Since their unveiling on Tuesday afternoon, The 2016 Park Expense Projections have been met with an enthusiasm not seen in the past few years. Many citizens have praised PFO head Valentina Abeja for presenting a “thoughtful” budget, while others, who may have had unrealistic expectations, have said they’re satisfied, if not outright pleased.

The Mammalian Daily had the opportunity to speak with Abeja after her Tuesday afternoon press conference. Since then, our financial, social, health, weather, and education experts have pored over the figures. We present here a point form scoring, as well as analysis and commentary:

budget 2016

  • Overall Score: 7
  • Business Support: 7
  • Research Support: 7
  • Healthcare: 4
  • Immigration and Refugee Support: 4
  • Safety and Security: 4
  • Education: 8
  • Quality of Park Life: 8
  • Environmental Impact: 10
  • Look to the Future: 10

It was a difficult budget to score fairly since, to Abeja’s credit, it took into consideration many important items for which, in the past, expenditures have not been allocated.

The Mammalian Daily gave a score of seven to items such as support for business and for research. This may seem harsh because, heretofore, there has been no budget allocation for either. We are mindful, as well, that funds are limited and we have high praise for Abeja for setting aside any funds at all. Within that framework, then, a score of seven should be seen as an overwhelmingly positive one.

Abeja said on Thursday that scrapping budget funds for tourism was high on her list and that she met with little opposition to the idea. We agree completely with this decision. Those funds have found their way into other areas that will surely benefit Park citizens more than tourism ever can.

We were alarmed at the reduction in funds for healthcare. No longer a big ticket item, Abeja has designated only eight percent of the budget for what is now termed “health and well-being.” This is an eleven percent reduction from the 2014 budget. Abeja explained that some of the healthcare funds have been re-allocated to the areas of research, food production, weather, water, and business support. After extensive consultation with health professionals and with The Park’s food and weather makers, Abeja said she decided that spending now on items that will prevent illness in the future was the best route to take. The wisdom of that decision remains to be seen, but with a constantly growing population, we are somewhat skeptical and, therefore, gave the budget a score of four for healthcare.

We were puzzled, as well, at the two percent reduction in funds for immigrant and refugee support. Abeja pointed out to us that she had doubled the funds for education, which she believed would relieve some of the burden on I and R services. She also claimed that support for Park businesses would help new Park residents support themselves financially. Once again, that remains to be seen, but since some immigration services, such as the Extinction Anxiety Clinic, receive healthcare funding, we are dismayed at the reduction of both. We, therefore, gave the budget a score of four for immigrant and refugee support.

Most notable to some in The Park was the reduction in security funding. While the 2014 budget allocated a full twenty-three percent, Abeja has reduced this to fifteen percent. Many feel she has taken a big chance by making this move. Abeja seems to be counting on her spending in other areas, such as education, arts funding, and special events, to produce peace in The Park. Recent statistics have proven, however, that certain kinds of tensions are escalating and we question whether Stereotype Sundays will be enough to keep them at bay. As well, we believe the reduction will likely over-burden volunteer peacekeepers such as the Doves and Does of Peace. For this reason, we gave the budget a score of four for safety and security.

On its own, the doubling of funds for education seems a wonderful and timely idea. While we gave the budget a score of eight for education, we remain cognizant that some of that funding came from areas that should not have seen their funds shrink. The results of this re-allocation remain to be seen.

Abeja adjusted the figures for arts and sports funding this year, equalizing them at four percent and allocating six percent for special events. We cannot quibble with this and, therefore, gave the budget a score of eight in this area for overall quality of life in The Park.

In terms of environmental impact, this budget works very well. By allocating funds directly to weather, groundskeeping, water, research, and food production, Abeja has managed to use over a third of the budget to ensure The Park’s environmental health and longevity. For this, coupled with the de-funding of tourism, which had a detrimental effect on our environment, we offer high praise and a score of ten.

Finally, whether all the changes that come with the 2016 budget work in the long run, Abeja has made every effort to ensure that this a forward-looking budget and for this reason, we have given it a score of ten in this regard. She has supported research and the environment and looked to secure a future in The Park for our citizens and residents. For this we commend Abeja and her team at the Park Finance Office.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy and Business, Park Life Tagged With: 2016 budget, government spending

Budget preview: “The budget is a very hard needle to thread.”

August 18, 2015 By Adelbert Mókus, TMD Financial Reporter

2016 Budget

Today is Budget Day in The Park

Will she or won’t she? And, will she or won’t she what?[pullquote]The  budget is a very hard needle to thread. Agreement on the allocation of funds can never be one hundred per cent. My own hope is that PFO head Valentina Abeja will learn from the past, but look to the future.—Magnus P. Marmoset, holder of the Simian Chair in Political Philosophy at the University of West Terrier[/pullquote]

Those are just a couple of the questions on the minds of all engaged Park citizens, as we await the presentation of the Park Expense Projections for 2016 (The Park Finance Office’s formal name for the budget).

PFO head Valentina Abeja will present the budget to the Archons at four o’clock this afternoon and she has scheduled a press conference immediately following the presentation.

This will be Abeja’s first budget and many financial, social, and health experts have weighed in on what they believe should be included in the budget. The Mammalian Daily recently spoke to some of them about their hopes now that budget day is here. Below are their responses (Please note: responses have been edited due to space limitations):

Aintza Kanariar, Director of Public Relations, Department of Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations: “I’m hoping for at least the same level of support that we’ve had in the past. Our celebrations are a fundamental part of Park life.”

Wellington Whistlepig, president, Park Association of Shops and Services (PASS): “It may be too much to hope for, but we could use some official support, even one percent of the budget. We’ve been supporting The Park through tough times for years and an acknowledgement of that fact would go a long way.”

Kalliope Sun Bear, president, Weather Makers, Producers and Sellers Alliance of The Park (WMPSAP): “We made a number of presentations to the new PFO head and we felt she was receptive to what we were saying. I have every confidence that she will abide by some of our suggestions—in particular, that the Weather Office purchase weather produced by Park manufacturers.”

A.P. Civet, president, Society of Concerned Park Cultivators, Planters, Growers, and Farmers (SCPCPGF): “We’ve found the new PFO head to be quite thoughtful and willing to listen. I believe she understands our situation better than those who’ve held her job previously. Food production is fundamental to our life here. We are quite optimistic about the new budget.”

Hermione Hippo, head nurse, Park Hospital for the Afflicted and Infirm, assistant professor, UWT School of Medicine: “For the last while, ‘health’ has been subsumed under the category of  ‘residents’ requirements’ and, as a result, I don’t believe it has been properly supported. Health issues—physical, mental and emotional—are a big part of our lives here and require not only treatment and support, but research funding. I hope the new PFO head understands that.”

Inez Gallina, president of the refugee aid group Home to Roost: “Apart from our autochthonous citizens, The Park’s population has historically been made up of immigrants and refugees. With our open immigration policy, the funding requirements grow every year. I hope Valentina Abeja fully understands that fact and respects the work of all of us in immigrant and refugee aid. I realize that funds are limited, but we cannot in all conscience or practicality invite Animals to make The Park their home if we offer them no assistance.”

Gareth Shepherd, president, Federation of Canine Security Workers (FCSW): “Security has become more of an issue the past few years and while we have always supplemented a paid force with volunteers such as the Doves—and now Does— of Peace, we still require more of the budget than we have been receiving. I hope the new PFO head values peace and security as much as other Park citizens do.”

Magnus P. Marmoset, holder of the Simian Chair in Political Philosophy at the University of West Terrier: “The  budget is a very hard needle to thread. Agreement on the allocation of funds can never be one hundred per cent. We all have different hopes and dreams and priorities. My own hope is that PFO head Valentina Abeja will learn from the past, but look to the future.”

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy and Business, Park Life Tagged With: 2016 budget, park economy

Mark your calendars: August 18 is Budget Day in The Park

July 29, 2015 By Adelbert Mókus, TMD Financial Reporter

august 18Some say they should make it a Park-wide holiday while others say they fear the worst: that the new PFO head will do as bad a job (or worse) as Milton Struts did in his final budget.

Nevertheless, Valentina Abeja announced in a short statement this morning that she will present her 2016 budget at 11:00 a.m. on August 18.

According to an Animal-on-the-street poll conducted Monday by The Mammalian Daily, sixty-nine per cent of Park citizens are hopeful that the new budget will address The Park’s real needs. While ten per cent said they had grown apathetic about the budget, a full twenty-one per cent were downright negative about the chances of a budget that would strengthen The Park’s economy yet support our most vulnerable citizens.

But the poll, which was considered accurate to within two percentage points eighteen times out of twenty, likely does not reflect Park citizens’ real views, says Dr. Anneliese Cissa, head of the Livingstone School of Economics and Social Science at the University of West Terrier.

“That poll is out of date and the question needs to be revisited. The poll was taken when Animals were thinking of the budget in the abstract, when it was more of an idea than a reality,” she said in an interview on Mammalian Daily Radio early this afternoon.

According to Dr. Cissa, Park Animals have just now begun to realign their hopes and expectations with the reality of a concrete budget.

“It’s like a wish list,” she said. “You put a number of items on a wish list, but quite a few of them don’t make it onto your actual shopping list.”

Asked to venture a guess as to how a new poll would look, Dr. Cissa said she doubted whether there would be significant movement in the apathetic column.

“Perhaps a percentage point or two, I would imagine,” she said. But as for the other feelings expressed in the first poll, she had a surprising answer:

“I think some of the hopefuls will have turned unhopeful with the news [of budget day] and some of the unhopefuls will become resigned in time. So, I think within a few days, the realignment will look more like fifty-fifty than sixty-nine-twenty-one.”

And on budget day?

“I think we’ll all cycle through a range of emotions from hopeful to cynical to skeptical to disappointed and then most of us will park ourselves at thoughtful. And it is only from there that we will begin to be able to judge the value of this new budget,” she said.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy and Business, Park Life Tagged With: 2016 budget, Budget Day 2015, Park budget, PFO head

Park Finance Office head Valentina Abeja to present 2016 budget in August

May 19, 2015 By Adelbert Mókus, TMD Financial Reporter

Budget

“There will be no budget before its time.”—PFO head Valentina Abeja

Citing, among other things, the need for more time to consider the input of citizens, the head of the Park Finance Office (PFO) confirmed that she will not be able to present a 2016 budget before mid-August.

At a press conference this afternoon, Abeja attempted to reassure citizens that her first budget would be a well-considered document, responsive to both the present and future needs of The Park.

“There will be no budget before its time,” she told reporters.

“There is much to deliberate upon, especially since there was effectively no budget this year,” said Abeja, who has held the position since mid-February.

Last month, in an interview with Toro Talk Radio host Yannis Tavros, Abeja said it was important for the PFO head to be mindful of the needs and aspirations of all Park citizens, while acknowledging the immense diversity of The Park’s population.

“A budget speaks to every Animal’s priorities and hopes for the future, every Animal’s identification with its own species and our collective desires for all Park citizens,” she said.

The last Park budget was presented on August 30, 2014 by former PFO head Milton Struts. That budget proved so controversial that it was scuttled almost immediately and Struts was relieved of his position shortly thereafter.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy and Business, Park Life Tagged With: 2016 budget, economy, finance

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