AVERY COOPER: Tacoma has a budget deficit of 40 million dollars. That means the city is going to have to make some cuts. Right now, the public can weigh in by creating their own budget through a simulation tool. NWPB's Lauren Gallup reports.
LAUREN GALLUP: Balancing Act is the tool that the city of Tacoma is using for people to simulate a balanced budget for the city. It allows people to make cuts or add dollars to different city services. 
The city has used this tool in the past.
When users go in to change the budget, they can’t completely get rid of any services. 
Teresa Green is an assistant finance director and budget officer for the city. She says that restriction reflects the reality of budget choices.  
TERESA GREEN: “You can't cut one department. You can't cut one whole service area. We're really gonna have to look at lots of different options in order to find that $40 million for this biennium.” 
GALLUP: Green says they’ll collect and share feedback from Balancing Act with the city council.
In Tacoma, I'm Lauren Gallup.