City Budget Recommendations - District 2 - Sal Espino

1. To what extent are you aware of the City's budget situation?
Answer	Count	Percentage
Aware of the details	51	47.66%
Don't know the details	43	40.19%
Not aware of situation	13	12.15%

2. How important to our residents and/or to your neighborhood is the City's financial situation?
Answer	Count	Percentage
Critical	44	41.12%
Important	56	52.34%
Somewhat important	7	6.54%
Not important	0	0.00%

3. If you were in the City Manager's chair, what approach to reducing expenses would you likely take?
Answer	Count	Percentage
Across the board cuts in all departments (includes police, fire, streets) - $38.5 million	18	16.82%
Strategic cuts resulting in reduction of public services - $23 million	23	21.50%
Significant reductions or elimination of non-critical services (i.e., libraries, economic development, senior citizens assistance) - $35.7 million	32	29.91%
Smaller reductions or elimination of non-critical services - $9.4 million	34	31.78%

4. Please indicate the top 3 expense areas you would reduce to help balance the 2011 budget. (Some areas have been grouped for the purpose of this survey.)
Answer	Count	Percentage
Police	7	6.54%
Fire	7	6.54%
Planning, zoning and development	15	14.02%
Libraries, parks, community centers, etc.	25	23.36%
Road construction, street repairs	4	3.74%
Facility maintenance	24	22.43%
City code enforcement, animal care and control	24	22.43%
Municipal court services	15	14.02%
Economic and community development programs	33	30.84%
Resident communication / customer service	13	12.15%
Administrative services - financial management, legal, human resources	52	48.60%
Pension contributions to City employees' retirement funds	28	26.17%
New vehicle purchases	74	69.16%

5. If you were in the City Manager's chair, what approach to increasing revenues would you take?
Answer	Count	Percentage
Across the board – consider property tax increase, reducing or eliminating homestead exemptions, using rainy day funds and gas well revenues. – up to $105 million	25	23.36%
Use only tax-related options that can be applied to both operating budget and debt service (funds would be ongoing, i.e. property tax increase, homestead elimination / reductions) – up to $39.2 million	9	8.41%
No tax increases. Use some or all of available rainy day funds, gas well revenues. (note: only available for one year) -- up to $66.4 million)	73	68.22%

6. Please indicate the top 3 revenue options you would consider to help balance the 2011 budget.
Answer	Count	Percentage
Raise property taxes by 2 cents	14	13.08%
Raise property taxes by 4 cents	5	4.67%
Reduce homestead exemption (does not include senior tax freeze, over 65 or disabled)	8	7.48%
Eliminate homestead exemption (does not include senior tax freeze, over 65 or disabled)	2	1.87%
Use rainy day funds that exceed required reserve balances	65	60.75%
Use gas well revenue from property tax on minerals	93	86.92%
Use gas well revenue from bonuses, royalties and pipeline licenses	95	88.79%
Transportation user / developer impact fees	39	36.45%

7. Years you have lived in Fort Worth
Answer	Count	Percentage
0-10	63	58.88%
10-25	17	15.89%
25-40	20	18.69%
Over 40	7	6.54%