Results from this fall’s Budget 2025 citizen survey were presented to City of Cranbrook council on Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 20), as part of the first public budget meeting as deliberations on the 2025-2029 five-year financial plan get underway.

The survey conducted from September 18 to October 18, 2024 was two-pronged in its approach – a statistically valid survey and a public opinion survey to consider options to reduce taxes to the target or below set by council. The survey looked to determine public opinion on the options to cut service levels, cut services, raise fees, find new revenues beyond what has been done to date, or a combination.

Sixteen hundred randomly selected residents were mailed a survey to complete, with 409 surveys completed giving the survey a response rate of 25.6%.

The public opinion survey, which was available to everyone on the city’s website had 1,122 responses. In comparing responses from both surveys, the results were found to be much the same.

Mayor and council will review the survey findings and use this information to help inform their decisions as they move though this year’s budget process, which promises to be very challenging.

“This is the most in depth and detailed public consultation that the city has ever undertaken on the budget. On behalf of Council, I appreciate the time and effort our residents have taken to complete this survey and share their comments with us,” said Mayor Wayne Price.

“This information will help inform council, as we have the next few months to work on the budget. We will have to make some very difficult decisions.”

Some of the key findings of the survey highlight public opinion around the most important issue facing the community, satisfaction rates with current services offered by the city, and preferred services to be reduced by the city.

In the survey final report, 40% of residents feel the most important issue facing Cranbrook is homelessness, crime and safety issues.

Around public satisfaction with current services provided by the city, residents are very satisfied with fire protection services, the Canadian Rockies International Airport, city trails, street lighting, community and cultural events, playgrounds and garbage and recycling facilities.

Residents noted being less satisfied with snow removal, economic development, development services, road maintenance and bylaw enforcement –specifically around noise, animals, unsightly premises, and homelessness.

Under the question around preferred services to be reduced by the city, the top three money saving preferences included:

• 78% agreeing to move to a two-tier system for the cost of recreation at all city facilities.
• 87% agreeing with the city leasing, selling, or renting underutilized city owned land.
• 83% agree with the potential with eliminating the interest paid and property tax prepayments.

Last year, in preparation for the 2024 budget, city council provided for the same services as the year before, which required a tax increase of 8.32%. To maintain same level of services next year as we have in this year would require a tax increase of 8.59%. In planning for next year’s budget, council directed administration to look at what it will take to develop a city budget with a maximum of a five per cent tax increase for 2025.

To hold the tax increase to five per cent or less will mean identifying $1.3 million in reduced expenses, increased revenues, or a combination of the two.

The survey results show low support (33% of respondents) would support an 8.59% tax increase in 2025.

However, 55% would support a five per cent tax increase in 2025 and another 15% indicated that five per cent is not enough of a tax increase.

City administration is also actively reviewing all department expenses and services to reduce all costs without affecting services to residents in preparation for the 2025 budget year, and undertaken service fee reviews that have recently been approved by council to raise revenues. The city continues to streamline process for developers and pursue economic development opportunities to attract new businesses to generate more tax revenues.

Two more public budget meetings are scheduled before the end of the year: one on Wednesday, December 11 from 12 to 7 p.m.; and Friday, December 13, from 1 to 5 p.m.

These meetings will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall and are open to the public. Both meetings will also be livestreamed at www.cranbrook.ca/livestream.

You can review the complete Budget 2025 Survey Final Report HERE.

e-KNOW file photo

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