City Budget Recommendations - District 9 - Joel Burns

1. To what extent are you aware of the City's budget situation?
Answer	Count	Percentage
Aware of the details	78	57.78%
Don't know the details	53	39.26%
Not aware of situation	4	2.96%

2. How important to our residents and/or to your neighborhood is the City's financial situation?
Answer	Count	Percentage
Critical	51	37.78%
Important	77	57.04%
Somewhat important	7	5.19%
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	38	28.15%
Strategic cuts resulting in reduction of public services - $23 million	46	34.07%
Significant reductions or elimination of non-critical services (i.e., libraries, economic development, senior citizens assistance) - $35.7 million	29	21.48%
Smaller reductions or elimination of non-critical services - $9.4 million	22	16.30%

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	5.19%
Fire	8	5.93%
Planning, zoning and development	28	20.74%
Libraries, parks, community centers, etc.	18	13.33%
Road construction, street repairs	9	6.67%
Facility maintenance	21	15.56%
City code enforcement, animal care and control	34	25.19%
Municipal court services	19	14.07%
Economic and community development programs	48	35.56%
Resident communication / customer service	25	18.52%
Administrative services - financial management, legal, human resources	54	40.00%
Pension contributions to City employees' retirement funds	40	29.63%
New vehicle purchases	94	69.63%

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	37	27.41%
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	15	11.11%
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)	83	61.48%

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	30	22.22%
Raise property taxes by 4 cents	6	4.44%
Reduce homestead exemption (does not include senior tax freeze, over 65 or disabled)	21	15.56%
Eliminate homestead exemption (does not include senior tax freeze, over 65 or disabled)	3	2.22%
Use rainy day funds that exceed required reserve balances	81	60.00%
Use gas well revenue from property tax on minerals	97	71.85%
Use gas well revenue from bonuses, royalties and pipeline licenses	116	85.93%
Transportation user / developer impact fees	51	37.78%

7. Years you have lived in Fort Worth
Answer	Count	Percentage
0-10	28	20.74%
10-25	31	22.96%
25-40	35	25.93%
Over 40	41	30.37%