The City of Prince George held an online Talktober Town Hall with the Mayor in October 2020 alongside its 2021 Budget Consultation Survey. Both wholly-digital initiatives launched in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that largely halted in-person initiatives.
Overview
Municipalities are required to consult with the public in advance of Council approval of an annual operating budget. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on public gatherings forced the City to provide opportunities for feedback via digital platforms. This included the Talktober Town Hall hosted by Mayor Hall on Zoom and an online budget survey.
For more information:
| Budget Survey | Since 2016, the City has annually presented an online survey that has provided respondents with the opportunity to indicate their preferred funding level for various City service areas. This was provided again in 2020 on a platform called Citizen Budget. Respondents can provide their property assessment in order to see how much of their taxes are allocated to the delivery of the thirteen service areas included in the survey:
- Police Services
- Fire Protection
- Bylaw Enforcement
- Snow and Ice Control
- Roads and Sidewalks
- Public Transit
- Recreation and Community Facilities
- Parks, Trails, and Beautification
- Community Support
- Attracting and retaining business and facilitating development
- Community Planning and Infrastructure
- Environmental Management and Climate Action
- Corporate Services
Note: Services such as water, sanitary sewer, and solid waste services for curbside garbage collection were not included in the survey because they are funded by utility fees and not property taxes. The tool also features sliders that allow respondents to adjust the funding level for the service areas by up to plus or minus 15 per cent. In addition, the 2020 survey sought resident input on the importance of these service areas, as well as perceptions of how well the City performs in delivering them. In order to collect information on the local effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, three additional questions concerned changes in income levels, confidence in the local economy, and use of parks, trails, and sidewalks for things like walking and biking. Respondents were also asked to suggest ways that the City can make up the revenue gap it has been experiencing since the start of the pandemic, and things the City should keep in mind as it sets the 2021 budget.
Survey Feedback
Service Areas - Police Services, Roads and Sidewalks, and Snow and Ice Control were identified to receive budget increases.
- Top three for importance: Police Services, Snow and Ice Control, and Fire Protection.
- Top three for satisfaction: Fire Protection; Parks, Trails, and Beautification; Recreation Services.
COVID Impacts On a scale of 1-100, with one being significantly decreased, 50 being the same, and 100 being significantly increased: - Has the pandemic affected income levels in your home/business?
Average: 45
- Has the pandemic affected the confidence you feel in PG and its economy?
Average: 42
- Has the pandemic affected your use of parks, trails, and sidewalks for things like walking and biking?
Average: 62
Budgeting for 2021 The pandemic has also significantly affected City finances and revenues. We asked about various ways that the shortfall could be addressed and respondents could select as many of the options they wanted. The top three results: - “Seek financial assistance from the provincial and federal governments” –
66 per cent
- “Sell some city land” -
59 per cent
- “Keep facilities closed” -
55 per cent
| 2021 Budget Consultation and Talktober Town Hall | 1 | 1 | 270 | | Talktober Town Hall | Since 2015, the City has hosted live “town hall” events as part of the annual series of public engagement activities known as Talktober. These events typically included some opening remarks from the Mayor and/or City Manager, followed by a Q&A session facilitated by the Mayor. In 2020, this format moved online, during an event - held October 27 - presented via Zoom and livestreamed on the City Facebook page. It attracted 43 registrations via Zoom and another 50 who watched the event live via Facebook. Over the course of the nearly two-hour event, residents posed about 30 questions to the Mayor, who responded to each of them (occasionally with the assistance of staff). The topics covered during the event included: - Parking downtown and throughout the community.
- Funding for capital projects and infrastructure maintenance.
- Crime in the downtown and other areas of the community.
- Social issues such as homelessness.
- Road and Sidewalk rehabilitation.
- Closing and re-opening arenas and public facilities during the pandemic.
- Reducing staff overtime and salaries.
Did you miss the 2020 town hall? | 2021 Budget Consultation and Talktober Town Hall | 1 | 2 | 270 |
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Results
Public Engagement
-
BUDGET SURVEY PERIOD: October 21 to November 11, 2020
-
RESPONDENTS:
- 1,020 participants in 2020 compared to an average over the previous four years of 170 participants.
