TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - After the City of Tallahassee put out a survey to get feedback for its series of budget workshops, a citizen-based group has come up with its own questionnaire to address issues it feels were left out.
The "Budget Hawks" were created in 2015, as the city commission discussed raising the millage rate.
So far, more than 100 people have filled out their survey, according to chairman Russell Price, who admits it has been answered by more financially conservative residents.
According to the group, the city has a $4.5 million deficit in the general fund, claiming that recent decisions to lower the millage rate and get rid of the business tax have led to reduced revenue.
The survey asks residents to answer six questions about how the city should address the deficit. Preliminary results from the survey show 80 percent favor a reduction in spending to address it.
"They're tired of people raising taxes in times when the economy is not growing that much, when population growth has slowed dramatically in Tallahassee -- but our general budget keeps going up every year," Price said. "They want to see a serious effort in cutting expenses, which we don't feel has been done yet."
The survey also asks whether upper management employees should receive additional proposed raises, and it asks people to rate the city commission as "stewards of our tax dollars."
The group plans to share the final results of that survey at Wednesday's budget workshop.
You can view the survey HERE.
