City of Kingston launches polls as part of open budget engagement

As a means to build a better understanding of which budget topics are of most interest to residents, the City of Kingston is launching weekly polls for residents to participate in.

“As a member of the community, it’s important that you feel informed about the City’s budget, and that you have an opportunity to share your input,” said Desiree Kennedy, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for the City of Kingston. “These polls will help us introduce these topics and hone our approach toward a made-in-Kingston open budgeting process.”

 The polls, which will include a new poll each week beginning the week of Monday, Sept. 28 until the week of Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, act as the City’s first step in creating an open budget process. Residents can learn more about the Council-endorsed multi-phase plan for adopting an open budget process in a Report to Council tabled in Tuesday, Jul. 7, 2020.

The weekly polls will be followed by a survey seeking community input, which will run from October 19 to November 9, 2020, and then virtual open houses scheduled to take place in November 2020. According to the City, adopting an open budget process allows residents to learn more about:

• The structure of the municipal budget and how budgeting decisions are made
• Providing input on priorities
• Influencing the allocation of public resources

“We know the pandemic will impact your feedback and how we receive it. While in-person open houses were initially planned they will now be held virtually, with the option for residents to request a mail-in survey, call-in or email their feedback,” Kennedy said. “We want to hear directly from residents what areas of the budgeting process they want to learn more about, and where they would like to have more input.”

Residents must register on the GetInvolved platform accessible through the City’s website, or by clicking here.