The city of Vancouver wants to know what residents and businesses think about various options to pay for millions of dollars in street maintenance, repairs and upgrades.
Tuesday, the city launched an interactive online tool to gather opinions from the public over the next six weeks. The tool guides users through a series of scenarios that show different levels and methods of street funding, and users are asked to provide feedback about their preferences. Potential funding sources include license tab fees, higher business license surcharges, a sales tax hike and a property tax increase.
The tool is not intended as a scientific, statistically valid survey, according to a city press release. Instead, it seeks to expand the opportunity for community input by providing people with ways to consider options and weigh results.
A Commission on Street Funding, composed of individuals from the City Council, community, businesses and neighborhoods, has been formed to consider sustainable street funding and review the public’s feedback. The information gathered from the online tool, presentations and discussions will help guide recommendations to the City Council on the best funding mix, which may include sources and options not listed on the online tool, the press release said.
