Title
Resolution Providing Council Guidance on the Citizen Survey to Obtain Community Input on the Utilization of County Mental Health & Public Safety Millage Proceeds
Body
Whereas, In November 2017, Washtenaw County voters approved an eight-year Mental Health & Public Safety Millage that will provide the City of Ann Arbor with $2.2M annually in unrestricted revenue beginning in FY19, which after reflecting normal taxable value growth, will generate approximately $20 million over the eight-year period;
Whereas, City Council adopted a resolution in September 2017 stating an intent to allocate the millage proceeds for affordable housing, climate action programs, and pedestrian safety, but the actual ballot language for the County's Mental Health & Public Safety millage proposal did not include any reference to those spending allocations;
Whereas, The results of a Citizens for Mental Health & Public Safety survey conducted subsequent to the millage vote as well as resident communications have demonstrated there was not a widespread understanding or clear, consensus expectation in the community regarding how these millage proceeds would be utilized;
Whereas, Based on the lack of a clear, consensus expectation on utilization of the proceeds, coupled with the magnitude of dollars involved, City Council concluded that obtaining additional community feedback and clarity is both necessary and appropriate;
Whereas, On November 19, 2018, City Council adopted resolution #18-1909 "Resolution to Conduct a Survey of Ann Arbor Residents to Assess Community Preferences Regarding the City's Spending of County Mental Health & Public Safety Millage Proceeds";
Whereas, Resolution 18-1909 directed the City Administrator and City CFO to design and conduct a scientifically-based and statistically valid follow-up survey of Ann Arbor residents only that is specifically focused on citizen preferences for utilization of the county millage proceeds at a cost not to exceed the bala...
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