Spring 2015

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in your jurisdiction's amount of debt?

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in revenue from fees for services, licenses, transfers, etc. for your jurisdiction?

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in revenue from property taxes for your jurisdiction?

Would you say that your unit of government is less able or better able to meet its financial needs in the next fiscal year compared to this fiscal year?

Would you say that your unit of government is less able or better able to meet its financial needs in this fiscal year compared to the last fiscal year?

During the next twelve months, do you think your community will have good times financially, or bad times?

Thinking about your jurisdiction's fiscal needs, overall, do you consider your jurisdiction's unreserved general fund balance to be too high, about right, or too low?

There are a number of different types of retirement income benefits that local governments might offer personnel, including a defined contribution plan (i.e., IRA, 401a, 457b, or 401k-type plan), a defined benefit plan (i.e., a traditional pension), or a hybrid plan (i.e., a plan that combines features of both defined benefit and defined contribution plans for an individual). Which type(s) of retirement income benefits, if any, does your jurisdiction offer to current elected officials? (Among those jurisdictions that reported offering some kind of retirement income benefits)

There are a number of different types of retirement income benefits that local governments might offer personnel, including a defined contribution plan (i.e., IRA, 401a, 457b, or 401k-type plan), a defined benefit plan (i.e., a traditional pension), or a hybrid plan (i.e., a plan that combines features of both defined benefit and defined contribution plans for an individual). Which type(s) of retirement income benefits, if any, does your jurisdiction offer to retired employees? (Among those jurisdictions that reported offering some kind of retirement income benefits)

There are a number of different types of retirement income benefits that local governments might offer personnel, including a defined contribution plan (i.e., IRA, 401a, 457b, or 401k-type plan), a defined benefit plan (i.e., a traditional pension), or a hybrid plan (i.e., a plan that combines features of both defined benefit and defined contribution plans for an individual). Which type(s) of retirement income benefits, if any, does your jurisdiction offer to current employees? (Among those jurisdictions that reported offering some kind of retirement income benefits)

There are a number of different types of retirement income benefits that local governments might offer personnel, including a defined contribution plan (i.e., IRA, 401a, 457b, or 401k-type plan), a defined benefit plan (i.e., a traditional pension), or a hybrid plan (i.e., a plan that combines features of both defined benefit and defined contribution plans for an individual). Which type(s) of retirement income benefits, if any, does your jurisdiction offer to new hires? (Among those jurisdictions that reported offering some kind of retirement income benefits)

Do you think your jurisdiction should be providing retirement income benefits to current and/or former elected officials? (Among those jurisdictions that reported not offering any kind of retirement income benefits)

Do you think your jurisdiction should be providing retirement income benefits to current and/or retired employees? (Among those jurisdictions that reported not offering any kind of retirement income benefits)

First, does your jurisdiction offer any kind of retirement income benefits (defined benefit pensions, defined contribution plans such as an IRA, 401a, 457b, or 401k-type plan, etc.) to any current or former employees and/or elected officials?

Now, regardless of whether or not your jurisdiction expects to have a budget deficit this year, in your opinion, what would be the preferred method for eliminating any potential deficit (if it had one) according to the following groups or individuals? Do you think that they would prefer to cut costs/services, increase taxes, use any savings your jurisdiction may have or increase debt (if legally allowable)? You personally in your role as a local official would prefer to...

Now, regardless of whether or not your jurisdiction expects to have a budget deficit this year, in your opinion, what would be the preferred method for eliminating any potential deficit (if it had one) according to the following groups or individuals? Do you think that they would prefer to cut costs/services, increase taxes, use any savings your jurisdiction may have or increase debt (if legally allowable)? The majority of your jurisdiction's citizens would prefer to...

Now, regardless of whether or not your jurisdiction expects to have a budget deficit this year, in your opinion, what would be the preferred method for eliminating any potential deficit (if it had one) according to the following groups or individuals? Do you think that they would prefer to cut costs/services, increase taxes, use any savings your jurisdiction may have or increase debt (if legally allowable)? The majority of your jurisdiction's Board/Council would prefer to...

Regardless of whether or not your jurisdiction expects to have a budget surplus this year, in your opinion, what would be the highest priority for using any potential surplus (if it had one) according to the following groups or individuals? Do you think that they would prefer to spend the budget surplus on public services or infrastructure, save that money for future use, use it to pay down any debt your jurisdiction may have, or reduce taxes? You personally in your role as a local official would prefer to...

Regardless of whether or not your jurisdiction expects to have a budget surplus this year, in your opinion, what would be the highest priority for using any potential surplus (if it had one) according to the following groups or individuals? Do you think that they would prefer to spend the budget surplus on public services or infrastructure, save that money for future use, use it to pay down any debt your jurisdiction may have, or reduce taxes? The majority of your jurisdiction's citizens would prefer to...

Regardless of whether or not your jurisdiction expects to have a budget surplus this year, in your opinion, what would be the highest priority for using any potential surplus (if it had one) according to the following groups or individuals? Do you think that they would prefer to spend the budget surplus on public services or infrastructure, save that money for future use, use it to pay down any debt your jurisdiction may have, or reduce taxes? The majority of your jurisdiction's Board/Council would prefer to...

Thinking about the overall fiscal stress of your jurisdiction today and what you expect it to be down the road - including any future financial obligations it may have - on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is the best: perfect fiscal health and 10 is the worst: fiscal crisis, how would you rate your jurisdiction's overall fiscal stress as you expect it to be five years from now?

In your opinion, is your jurisdiction's cash flow and its ability to pay bills in a timely manner a significant fiscal problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all?

How satisfied do you think the majority of your citizens are with the ambulance / emergency medical services (EMS) provided in your jurisdiction?

Different local jurisdictions manage their unreserved general fund balances in different ways depending on their specific circumstances. Despite these differences, we're interested in tracking overall changes in these balances over time. Approximately what was your jurisdiction's unreserved/unassigned general fund balance as a percentage of general fund expenditures at the end of its last fiscal year?

Thinking about your jurisdiction's last fiscal year, were general fund expenditures higher or lower than what they were projected to be in its originally adopted general fund budget?

Thinking about your jurisdiction's last fiscal year, were general fund revenues higher or lower than what they were projected to be in its originally adopted general fund budget?

When does your jurisdiction's fiscal year end?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or is likely to take regarding retirees' share of premiums, deductibles and/or co-pays on health insurance?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or is likely to take regarding employees' share of contributions to retirement funds?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or is likely to take regarding your jurisdiction's workforce layoffs?