Budget Trade-Off Questionnaire One of the greatest responsibilities of Council is making difficult decisions about how limited financial resources should be invested. Every year, Council must balance competing priorities while ensuring the District remains financially sustainable.The reality is simple: Every dollar can only be spent once.Choosing to invest additional funding in one service often means reducing funding available for another service or increasing municipal taxes. There are rarely easy answers.This survey is designed to help Council better understand how residents would approach these difficult decisions if they were sitting at the Council table. There are no right or wrong answers.Your responses will help Council understand the values and priorities of our community. Question Title * 1. Imagine you have been elected to Council. You have just learned the District must reduce annual operating expenditures by $1,000,000 over the next several years to maintain long-term financial sustainability.Where would you begin? No Reduction Small Reduction Moderate Reduction Significant Reduction N/A Administration Administration No Reduction Administration Small Reduction Administration Moderate Reduction Administration Significant Reduction Administration N/A Fire Services Fire Services No Reduction Fire Services Small Reduction Fire Services Moderate Reduction Fire Services Significant Reduction Fire Services N/A Roads Roads No Reduction Roads Small Reduction Roads Moderate Reduction Roads Significant Reduction Roads N/A Snow Removal Snow Removal No Reduction Snow Removal Small Reduction Snow Removal Moderate Reduction Snow Removal Significant Reduction Snow Removal N/A Parks Parks No Reduction Parks Small Reduction Parks Moderate Reduction Parks Significant Reduction Parks N/A Recreation Recreation No Reduction Recreation Small Reduction Recreation Moderate Reduction Recreation Significant Reduction Recreation N/A Community Events Community Events No Reduction Community Events Small Reduction Community Events Moderate Reduction Community Events Significant Reduction Community Events N/A Library Library No Reduction Library Small Reduction Library Moderate Reduction Library Significant Reduction Library N/A Beautification Beautification No Reduction Beautification Small Reduction Beautification Moderate Reduction Beautification Significant Reduction Beautification N/A Economic Development Economic Development No Reduction Economic Development Small Reduction Economic Development Moderate Reduction Economic Development Significant Reduction Economic Development N/A Bylaw Enforcement Bylaw Enforcement No Reduction Bylaw Enforcement Small Reduction Bylaw Enforcement Moderate Reduction Bylaw Enforcement Significant Reduction Bylaw Enforcement N/A Planning Services Planning Services No Reduction Planning Services Small Reduction Planning Services Moderate Reduction Planning Services Significant Reduction Planning Services N/A Building Maintenance Building Maintenance No Reduction Building Maintenance Small Reduction Building Maintenance Moderate Reduction Building Maintenance Significant Reduction Building Maintenance N/A Other (please specify) Question Title * 2. Every municipality has services that residents consider non-negotiable.Please select TEN services that should be protected before all others. Fire Protection Emergency Management Drinking Water Wastewater Services Storm Drainage Road Maintenance Snow Removal Bridges Garbage Collection Parks Playgrounds Trails Campgrounds Recreation Facilities Library Community Hall Economic Development Planning Services Bylaw Enforcement Customer Service Financial Management Communications Beautification Tourism Promotion Asset Management Fleet Replacement Technology Building Maintenance Other (please specify) Question Title * 3. Imagine the District received $2 million in new funding. Rather than reducing services, Council could invest in new priorities.Please rank the following priorities from highest to lowest. The higher the item on the list, the greater your priority. (Required.) Question Title * 4. Which long-term investments do you believe are most important?Choose your Top Five. Replacing aging infrastructure Growing the local economy Attracting new businesses Improving recreation opportunities Maintaining roads Water system improvements Emergency preparedness Asset replacement planning Climate resilience Community beautification Housing initiatives Tourism development Technology modernization Financial reserve growth Debt reduction Question Title * 5. Everyone wants excellent municipal services. However, maintaining those services requires adequate funding.Which statement best reflects your opinion? Keep taxes as low as possible, even if services decline. Accept modest tax increases to maintain current services. Accept moderate tax increases to maintain infrastructure and services. Invest more today to reduce future costs, even if taxes increase. Unsure Question Title * 6. For each service area, indicate your preferred level of service. Increase Maintain Reduce Slightly Reduce Significantly Road Maintenance Road Maintenance Increase Road Maintenance Maintain Road Maintenance Reduce Slightly Road Maintenance Reduce Significantly Snow Removal Snow Removal Increase Snow Removal Maintain Snow Removal Reduce Slightly Snow Removal Reduce Significantly Fire Services Fire Services Increase Fire Services Maintain Fire Services Reduce Slightly Fire Services Reduce Significantly Parks Parks Increase Parks Maintain Parks Reduce Slightly Parks Reduce Significantly Recreation Recreation Increase Recreation Maintain Recreation Reduce Slightly Recreation Reduce Significantly Community Events Community Events Increase Community Events Maintain Community Events Reduce Slightly Community Events Reduce Significantly Library Library Increase Library Maintain Library Reduce Slightly Library Reduce Significantly Economic Development Economic Development Increase Economic Development Maintain Economic Development Reduce Slightly Economic Development Reduce Significantly Bylaw Enforcement Bylaw Enforcement Increase Bylaw Enforcement Maintain Bylaw Enforcement Reduce Slightly Bylaw Enforcement Reduce Significantly Planning Services Planning Services Increase Planning Services Maintain Planning Services Reduce Slightly Planning Services Reduce Significantly Beautification Beautification Increase Beautification Maintain Beautification Reduce Slightly Beautification Reduce Significantly Question Title * 7. If you could make only three decisions over the next five years, what would they be? Priority #1 Priority #2 Priority #3 Question Title * 8. If Council had to reduce only one of the following services, which would you choose? (Required.) Community Beautification Library Services Recreation Programming Community Events Tourism Promotion Economic Development Park Enhancements Trail Expansion Administrative Services Other (please specify) Question Title * 9. Please indicate how strongly you agree with the following statements. Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree The District should focus on financial sustainability. The District should focus on financial sustainability. Strongly Disagree The District should focus on financial sustainability. Disagree The District should focus on financial sustainability. Neutral The District should focus on financial sustainability. Agree The District should focus on financial sustainability. Strongly Agree Council should prioritize maintaining essential services. Council should prioritize maintaining essential services. Strongly Disagree Council should prioritize maintaining essential services. Disagree Council should prioritize maintaining essential services. Neutral Council should prioritize maintaining essential services. Agree Council should prioritize maintaining essential services. Strongly Agree Infrastructure replacement should be a top priority. Infrastructure replacement should be a top priority. Strongly Disagree Infrastructure replacement should be a top priority. Disagree Infrastructure replacement should be a top priority. Neutral Infrastructure replacement should be a top priority. Agree Infrastructure replacement should be a top priority. Strongly Agree Economic development should receive additional investment. Economic development should receive additional investment. Strongly Disagree Economic development should receive additional investment. Disagree Economic development should receive additional investment. Neutral Economic development should receive additional investment. Agree Economic development should receive additional investment. Strongly Agree Residents should help shape future budgets. Residents should help shape future budgets. Strongly Disagree Residents should help shape future budgets. Disagree Residents should help shape future budgets. Neutral Residents should help shape future budgets. Agree Residents should help shape future budgets. Strongly Agree Long-term planning is more important than short-term decisions. Long-term planning is more important than short-term decisions. Strongly Disagree Long-term planning is more important than short-term decisions. Disagree Long-term planning is more important than short-term decisions. Neutral Long-term planning is more important than short-term decisions. Agree Long-term planning is more important than short-term decisions. Strongly Agree Question Title * 10. In your opinion, what is the single most important thing Council can do over the next five years to ensure the District of Houston remains financially sustainable while continuing to provide excellent municipal services? Thank you for helping shape the future of our community. Done
