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QuickTake:
The city received 162 responses to its fiscal stability survey, 0.27% of the city population. Officials said data from the survey is “not statistically significant” but it offers a window on some public sentiment.
Results from Springfield’s Fiscal Stability Task Force summer survey show respondents favor exploring new revenue options and economic development over cost-cutting and legislative proposals (such as property tax reform).
The survey asked questions about recommendations from the task force, which was convened by Mayor Sean VanGordon early this year. The 12-person group of business leaders and other community members was charged with identifying options to address the city’s projected general fund operating deficit.
Springfield’s budget shortfall stems from decades of limited property tax revenue as a result of state ballot measures, as well as a decline in shared timber receipts, according to the task force report. More recently, high inflation and the end of federal COVID relief funds have worsened the situation.
The task force made nine recommendations: three short-term options, four long-term suggestions and two recommendations that “will improve health and safety and may or may not have a fiscal impact.”
The city is already moving forward on two of the recommendations: increasing current police and fire levies and implementing a payroll tax. In November, Springfield voters renewed and increased a five-year local option levy for fire services (the city’s current public safety levy goes through 2027). And, city councilors on Dec. 8 directed city staff to start designing a shared employee and employer payroll tax, which they will review early next year.
A task force recommendation to reduce the library budget by $500,000 has drawn ire from some community members. Councilors have asked city staff how cuts to the library budget would affect hours and programs. The mayor has said any decisions about library funding will happen in the city’s budget process in the spring.
Survey results
Lookout Eugene-Springfield obtained a copy of the survey responses Dec. 12. City Recorder Allyson Pulido wrote in an email the survey was designed as a public engagement tool to provide community members with an opportunity to share feedback. The survey received 162 responses, though the city did not restrict participants from submitting multiple entries and did not collect email addresses.
Pulido also wrote, “The results are not statistically significant and should not be interpreted as a representative or quantitative reflection of the broader Springfield community.”
If 162 people filled out the survey, they would represent 0.27% of the city’s population of 61,000.
The survey was available from July until early December.
The first four questions of the survey asked respondents to choose one answer from a set of provided options. None of the survey questions were required.
Survey respondents were asked to rank the task force recommendations from most helpful to least helpful for improving Springfield’s budget stability, with 1 being most helpful and 9 being least helpful. The results show respondents averaged “implement a shared payroll tax” as the most helpful and “reduce library budget by $500,000” as the least helpful.
Full ranking:
- Implement a shared payroll tax
- Increase public safety levies to fully fund services
- Review city-owned properties for possible sale or development
- Reduce police overtime where feasible
- Develop and implement a business retention and expansion strategy
- Examine development of Gateway urban growth boundary
- Pursue tax reform in Oregon
- Implement traffic cameras to enhance health and safety
- Reduce library budget by $500,000
The survey included two open-ended questions: “What feedback would you like to share about the Task Force’s recommendations or what should City Council do next?” and “What other questions or comments would you like to share with the mayor or city councilors?” Of the participants, 124 answered the first question and 89 answered the second question.
Many of the responses spoke against cutting the library’s budget. Some respondents submitted identical responses about the governance of Eugene Springfield Fire. The response said the task force should have considered fire governance options and that the city should consider forming a fire district.
Overall, the answers varied while offering some common ground. Some respondents were in favor of more taxes to pay for services while others were opposed. Some answers suggested reducing police spending while other responses urged not to cut such funding. Multiple respondents spoke against traffic cameras and a number advocated for selling unused city-owned properties.