Half of the residents in Greater Sudbury who offered input into what they want in the city's 2018 budget identified more spending on roads as their top priority.
This year, 373 people took part in the city's online budget input tool, the second year the online tool was used. Residents could choose which area of the city's budget where they would like to see reductions, increases or status quo.
Most respondents chose status quo, but half wanted more money spent on roads, says a report headed to the finance committee Nov. 7.
On the flip side, 47 per cent wanted less spent on libraries and museums, and 40 per cent wanted to see less money spent on firefighting and policing.
Areas mainly funded by the federal or provincial governments, or that the city is obligated to fund, weren't part of the online survey, the report said. They include social services, economic development and outside boards such as the health unit.
Other areas not eligible for input, the report said, include the mayor's office, city council budgets, the office of the CAO, Auditor General, planning and development and animal control and bylaw services.
Of those who responded, most wanted more than a four per cent increase in the roads budget, about a one per cent cut in police and firefighting funding, status quo for paramedic funding, and a little less than one per cent less spent on libraries and museums.
Plenty of strident comments the city received are part of the report, but have been edited for vulgar content. Read them here.
The early budget estimate for 2018 is a 3.5 per cent property tax increase in a more than $500 million budget to maintain services at current levels. That works out to $97 more a year for a home valued at $232,000.
“Revenues are projected to increase by approximately $3 million primarily due to an increase in user fee rates for water and wastewater and other fees,” says a report on the 2018 budget.
“This is partially offset by an estimated loss in OMPF of $1.9 million and a reduction in investment income.”
After the report is reviewed Nov.7, several open-house style meetings will be held in wards across the ciity to get more feedback.
“The city’s chief administrative officer and chief financial officer will be in attendance to provide information on the 2018 budget and answer questions,” the report says.
“As a result of last year’s budget process evaluation, six information sessions have been scheduled in convenient locations throughout the city. Information sessions details will be communicated to the public using a variety of advertising methods.”
