July 28, 2011

On August 15, Council will spend the morning in its first budget-related workshop towards the 2012-2014 City of Waterloo Operating and Capital budgets.

Earlier this summer, we adopted our 2011-2014 Strategic Plan. Under the six pillars of “Sustainability and Our Living Environment”, “Public Engagement”, “Healthy & Safe Community”, “Vibrant Neighbourhoods”, “Getting Around”, and “Economic Vitality” are a number of areas of focus. Critical to allocating spending and effort over the balance of Council’s term are prioritizing these areas of focus, which all of Council has been asked to do individually by August 5 before deliberating as a group around the Council table on August 15.

I appreciate all feedback that I continue to receive about the state of taxation, user fees, and where you believe the City could be more proactive, effective, or efficient in services.

At this point, I am interested in hearing from you what your top area of focus is in each of the six pillars of the Strategic Plan prior to August 5th.

In putting my priority listing together, I’ll be considering any feedback I receive now along with all of the general feedback I heard on the campaign trail, what I promised I’d focus on in my platform, and what I’ve heard at the numerous community conversations, small and large, formal and informal, since the election.

Feel free to leave a comment below, through Twitter or Facebook, or by email.