Survey Closes October 11, 2024

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* 1. Name

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* 2. Address

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* 3. What ward to you live in?

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* 4. Select the answer that best describes your residency:

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* 5. What is your age range:

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* 6. I participate in the Township’s budget process

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* 7. I would be interested in participating or engaging in the following activities related to the annual budget process (select all that apply):

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* 8. I would describe my knowledge of the municipal budget process as:

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* 9. I would like to know more about or better understand:

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* 10. The Township is required by law to balance the budget. A number of strategies are available to accomplish this. Of the following, which would you prefer the Township use to balance its annual budget? (select all that apply)

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* 11. Property taxes pay for the delivery of municipal services. This includes maintaining and replacing the assets used to deliver those services. Please choose one of the following statements that you most agree with:

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* 12. Please rate your overall level of satisfaction with the services that your tax dollars currently support:

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* 13. The township currently pays recreation levies to Smiths Falls, Athens and Westport to allow residents to use these facilities without any increase in charge over the residents that live in those municipalities. Were you aware of this?

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* 14. Do you agree with this?

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* 15. Thinking about the services provided, would you increase, maintain or decrease service levels currently provided by the Township in the following areas with the understanding that an increase in one service without a reduction in another may result in a modest tax increase.

  Increase Maintain Decrease
Winter Maintenance – Road plowing
Other Road Maintenance – Signs, Lighting, Brushing, Road maintenance
Waste, Collection and Recycling
Fire Services
Municipal By-Law enforcement and animal control
Development Services – Building, Permits, Planning
Recreation – swimming, summer camps, fitness, sportsfields
Parks and Outdoor amenities – playgrounds, courts, parkland
Facilities – hall maintenance, rentals
Heritage and Culture

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* 16. Is there a service or program that the Township doesn’t currently provide that you would like to see added with the understanding that this would mean a moderate tax increase if all other services remained?

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* 17. What do you feel are some of the most important issues facing our community that should receive the greatest attention from Council in the 2025 budget and moving forward? Rank in order of priority, for those issues you don’t feel are important put N/A.

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* 18. Where do you go to receive information about the Township's budget? Check all that apply.

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* 19. If the Township were to increase communication efforts in general, how would you prefer to receive that information?

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* 20. Do you feel comfortable contacting staff at the township, including CAO, Treasurer, Department Mangers?

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* 21. The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) has not reassessed property values since 2016, meaning the 2025 assessed value of your property will be the same as the assessed value in 2016. At some point we expect MPAC to resume reassessing property values bringing all properties to the current market value. Are you concerned about the impact this may or may not have on your property taxes?

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* 22. What is the number one thing you would like to see improved at the Township?

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* 23. If there’s any other feedback you would like to provide us on the Township’s 2025 budget, please include it below:

If you have specific questions about the 2025 budget, please email questionsforthetreasurer@rideaulakes.ca . Please limit your questions to 3 to allow time to respond to all questions.

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