Check out the survey results at:
https://www.rcgov.org/departments/mayor-s-office-city-council/budget.html
RAPID CITY--Local citizens shared their input and impressions of the City in the Citizen Budget Priority Survey completed in November and December by 1,665 respondents. Information collected from the survey will be used by City officials to help prioritize programs and services.
City Budget Analyst Sean Kurbanov shared results of the extensive survey at Monday's (Feb. 5) City Council meeting. Last November, 3,000 paper surveys were mailed out to a random sample--600 to each of the City's five wards. Citizens could also respond online to the survey's 14 questions. Respondents had until late December to respond. A total of 1,078 online and 587 paper surveys were received.
Survey participants were asked how they would allocate $1,000 of tax revenue to various City services, such as police, fire, street repairs, street cleaning and snow removal, arts and cultural programs, parks maintenance, libraries, public transit and other areas. Among other survey questions, residents were asked to rank the seven strategic goals of the City's Comprehensive Plan from most to least important; and, if revenue does not keep pace with growth and demand for services, should the Council consider balancing the City's budget by maintaining services through increased fees or taxes, reducing services or privatizing them.
Respondents were also asked what the City can do to improve the livability of the community and how they would rate Rapid City as a place to live.
The full report will be available beginning Monday evening at rcgov.org .