Online Citizen Budget Engagement
Proposal to implement an interactive online tool for citizens to provide feedback on budget spending and see impacts on their property taxes.
TO: Committee of the Whole DATE: December 6, 2019 FROM: D. Christenson, Director of Finance MEETING: December 10, 2019
Online Citizen Budget Engagement
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Council approve the implementation of an online citizen budget engagement tool for the 2020 and 2021 budget cycles as a pilot project.
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
PURPOSE OF REPORT:
To authorize the development and implementation of an online tool that seeks public engagement during the 2020-2024 and 2021-2025 budget processes.
TIME CRITICAL:
To have the online tool ready in time for the 2020-2024 budget public consultation period, staff need to engage the service provider and others 4-6 weeks in advance of the initial launch. This proposal anticipates a launch shortly after the February budget workshops, therefore the advance work would need to be started in December 2019.
DISCUSSION:
One of the Strategic Plan’s stated goals is “Strong and active citizen participation in community engagement” including that for budget development.
Council meetings, at which the budget is debated, are open to the public and information about the budget is available on View Royal’s website and at a Budget Open House held annually. However, citizens don’t currently have an opportunity to conveniently access information and provide specific feedback about the various facets of the budget in the context of the impact those changes could mean for their property tax bill. This project would implement a tool that invites citizens to “adjust” budget spending through an interactive online journey and displays the corresponding impact to their estimated taxes. Responses are securely aggregated, analyzed and reported to Council after the engagement period is over (normally 4-6 weeks).
An online citizen engagement tool specific to budget provides real-time, objective and transparent communication about budget spending priorities and collects informed feedback to Council. The online tool would be deployed after the proposed budget is approved in principle by Council at the February budget workshops and be open for citizen feedback for 4-6 weeks prior to adoption of the budget bylaw. This proposal is for a 2-year pilot only, after which the program will be evaluated to determine whether it has sufficiently achieved the desired increase in community engagement.
To the extent that citizens can convey their spending priorities, Council will be more fully informed. Without this information, Council may make budget decisions without clearly understanding the level of citizen support.
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
This project anticipates a first-year cost of $6,500 to acquire the service and develop the messaging used in the tool. The second year’s deployment would utilize some of the work from the first year, resulting in a lower estimated cost of $5,000. The proposed source of funding is taxation. A portion of the cost could be offset by eliminating the public open house normally held during the budget process, which in past years has not been well-attended.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Council approve the implementation of an online citizen budget engagement tool for the 2020 and 2021 budget cycles as a pilot project.
SUBMITTED BY: D. Christenson, Director of Finance
REVIEWED BY: K. Anema, Chief Administrative Officer
Document Images
(4)
