A series of discussions aimed at engaging citizens in decisions about Anchorage's 2011 city budget begins this week.

The meetings are sponsored by the municipality and will be guided by a consultant from California, Viewpoint Learning.

Heidi Gantwerk, vice president of Viewpoint, says participants will get background information and be presented with a series of choices about levels of services and taxes.

Public meetings in which anyone can participate are scheduled Wednesday at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 600 E. Benson Blvd.; Aug. 10 at the Eagle River Lions Club, 16630 Eagle River Road; and Aug. 11 at the Anchorage School District Education Center, 5530 E. Northern Lights Blvd.

In each case, dinner will be available at 5:15 p.m., and the meeting will start at 5:45 p.m.

Anyone wishing to participate can sign up at the city website, muni.org, under "community budget meetings."

A smaller session is scheduled for Tuesday in which 50 participants are being selected from a random sample to represent Anchorage residents based on age, ethnicity, gender and geography, Gantwerk said.