Criticism over the city's online budget survey has prompted staff to undertake a phone survey to garner more feedback on next year's financial plan.
According to a report to council by corporate services director Kathleen Soltis, the city contracted the Mustel Group to conduct a phone survey of a random sample of Prince George residents.
Questions focusing on important issues facing the city, residents' priorities for activities/services and preferred options for tax increases/service cuts were posed to 301 people over the age of 18.
The results of the extra consultation piece will be presented to council Wednesday afternoon as part of the first budget meeting in council chambers, which begins at 3:30 p.m.
In addition to the online questionnaire and phone survey, the city also collected public feedback on the budget during an e-town hall meeting Oct. 15. Fifteen minutes are also set aside during the Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 budget meetings at 6 p.m. for residents to address council at city hall.
Council will be deliberating on a $123.4 million operating budget after instructing staff to keep to a 2.5 per cent tax increase. That increase is partially made up of 1.15 per cent ($960,000) to boost to the snow control levy and 0.64 per cent ($533,000) to increase the new-to-2013 general infrastructure reinvestment fund.
Preliminary numbers for 2013 already show the snow clearing pot to be over budget by $529,000, according to Soltis' report.
The road rehab budget is also getting a boost to the required $7 million annual investment due to the realization federal gas tax funds could be used for that purpose.
No additional funds have been allocated to Initiatives Prince George, the Prince George Public Library or Tourism Prince George. Earlier this month, IPG representatives came before the finance and audit committee to request a 2.5 per cent increase to their budget, but the committee didn't give them a favourable response.
Library board chair said they have made do through organizational restructuring to reduce wage costs and by making adjustments to professional development, operational expenses and their materials budget.
"There are some items that can no longer be deferred in future budget years, including three servers that are beyond their expected life span and some failing circulation and office equipment," George wrote in a letter to council.
