The City Manager's office annually distributes a budget survey to the citizens of Charlottesville (usually included in a utility bill mailing) to gage the satisfaction of the electorate with the City's budget priorities.

In recent years, this survey has been structured by the City Manager and Council so that most responses would affirm the City's budget practice of spending all available money rather than reducing the tax rate as required by law.

Last budget season, after much input from Rob Schilling, the City released a budget survey which contained historical data detailing Charlottesville's explosive budget growth over the past ten years and the specific disposition of each tax dollar spent per citizen. That survey brought a higher citizen response than had any previously issued.

This year's recently distributed survey has again been watered down by the City Manager and the majority of Council. Despite Mr. Schilling's best efforts to revive and update the format used last year, a non-public "discussion" between certain councilors and the City Manager yielded the format which again asks the public to "tell us just how well we're doing managing your money."

Please click here to download the survey that City Council doesn't want you to see. Upon reviewing, you may submit this survey to the City Manager's office instead of the one offered in the current year.