Ann Arbor City Council Member Sabra Briere's survey offers surprises

Council Member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward, asked residents for help determine where the community's priorities lie for city spending. Ryan Stanton | AnnArbor.com

A key survey component was what Briere calls the “Put your money where your mouth is” test. The survey offered only $100 to allocate among eight priorities. The clear winners were public safety and basic infrastructure.

Parks and mass transit occupied the chart’s middle. Social welfare and green initiatives received the least support.

“In times of limited means, a safe city with a reliable infrastructure that is an economic powerhouse wins out over the other considerations,” one respondent replied.

Survey respondents moved their money toward public safety and basic infrastructure.

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Briere sent out the Zoomerang.com survey on Feb. 28. The survey closed March 6.

“Overwhelmed is a positive word,” she said of the response. “I was quite surprised to see the numbers were leaping.”

City leaders are currently work toward closing an additional $5.2 million gap in the city's general fund budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. Briere said she was interested in input as city leaders discuss budget priorities.

Last Sunday, Briere spent eight hours in front of her computer, converting the raw data into usable information. While she admits the survey isn't scientific and has flaws, some clear conclusions still could be drawn.

“One of the things that leapt out at me was how many people wanted to support everything.”

The anonymity of respondents was maintained, Briere said, and 6 percent indicated they were not Ann Arbor residents.

One nonresident wrote, “Just wanted to say that although I checked that I don’t live in Ann Arbor, I hope that you’re still considering our opinions - I’m a business owner in the city though I live in Ypsilanti, and all of these things affect us and the city that we live in and do business in.”

She found that 68 percent of respondents predicted the city would have less money for the next fiscal year, which begins in July 2011. Some 24 percent said they think there will be about the same amount.

While support for public safety is high, the survey further analyzed that by allowing people to allocate their preferences for police enforcement priorities. Few strong objections were expressed to cutbacks in the investigation of underage drinking on football Saturdays. Cuts in traffic enforcement also prompted relatively few objections.

But the idea of reducing investigations of serious crimes was strongly resisted.

Survey respondents gave underage drinking a pass and sniffed at traffic enforcement.

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Survey findings show people are somewhat confused and need more information about ideas for raising additional funds, whether through a city income tax or Headlee rollbacks that could increase property tax revenue.

“A lot of people don’t want to see taxes go up, period,” Briere said. “Others were willing if they weren’t the only ones dealing with it.”

The issue of selling or leasing parks generated the most dramatic opposition, and Briere admitted being “surprised by that divide.”

Some feel the parks are a luxury and would be better used by adding them to the tax rolls. Others favor a minimally sustaining approach to the needs of parks and community centers until the city’s fortunes improve.

“I don’t care what happens to the golf courses, so long as the land isn’t sold without a vote,” wrote one person.

Briere said she was surprised overall by how hard it was for respondents to determine “core values of how Ann Arbor hunkers down.” She added the city isn’t in a unique position since municipalities all over the country are faced with deficits and cuts.

“I’m intrigued by how that news doesn’t seem to be filtering to our community.”

Ronald Ahrens is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.