District of Houston officials are pouring over the results of a survey distributed the last half of October intended to gauge taxpayer attitudes about how the District’s 2024 spending plans should be crafted.
But it also includes questions on the continuing economic and other impacts of Canfor’s closure of its sawmill here this spring.
Although Canfor is replacing its mill with a new one, it is not expected to open for at least two years, adding to concerns about income loss in local households.
The survey asks if the mill closure has had an impact on a person’s personal budget and if any impact has affected the person’s ability to pay District property taxes on time.
It also asks if any changes in a person’s personal budget has reduced the use of the leisure facility or enrolling in skating and swimming lessons.
One measure introduced in the spring by the District was the ability to defer property taxes until Oct. 31 compared to the standard payment date of early July. People were asked if they took advantage of the deferral.
As far as questions related to the District’s budget itself, respondents were asked if they rented or owned a home or owned a business and how familiar they were with how the District decides on taxation levels and if it explains how taxes are spent.
Respondents were presented with 13 community issues and asked to rank each from ‘very important’ to ‘not important at all’.
Those issues ranged from access to health services to air quality to government transparency to public safety.
When it comes to specific District services, respondents were asked to rank 17 District functions beginning with, in alphabetical order, animal control down to garbage collection, the leisure facility and ending with snow removal.
On the always contentious issue of balancing increasing costs against property tax increases, respondents were asked if user fees should increase to keep budgets in balance or whether property taxes should go up or whether services should be cut to avoid a tax increase.
And if a respondent favoured a tax increase or hike in user fees, the person was asked what services should be improved.
That list began with animal control and ended with snow removal.
On the flip side, a respondent was asked what services they would decrease if they did not favour a tax increase or user fee boost.
Respondents were also asked if they have ever sat in on a council budget meeting.
Speaking last week, District of Houston chief administrative officer Michael Dewar said results of the survey should be released Nov. 21, the date of a scheduled District of Houston council meeting.
The budget itself will be presented at the Dec. 5 council meeting. That starts a series of meetings and opportunities for comment by members of the public prior to official adoption.