Chamber of Commerce seeks member input as city budget looms

A local business network is urging its members to complete a survey as the Sault's city council prepares to review the municipal budget, which is expected to contain a tax hike.

In an email to members, the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce said responses will be treated with the confidentiality, and only aggregated data will be shared with council. 

The chamber said members that respond "are not only advocating for your business but also joining a collective effort to ensure that the city council receives a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and priorities of our business community".

Some of the questions include:

• Do you feel that the Sault Ste. Marie economy is better than the Ontario economy as a whole?
• Rate the cost of doing business in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
• Do you feel that council has prioritized the concerns of business owners to date?
• Rate the City's openness to private sector involvement in decision making.
• Thinking about all of the programs and services you receive from the City, (roads, police, EMS, parks, waste collection, etc.) do you feel that you are getting value from your tax dollars?
• A reduction in commercial and industrial tax ratios (rates) requires a shift of tax burden to the residential property tax class. Do you support working with the municipality to achieve a negotiated mutually beneficial shift of the commercial industrial tax burden to the residential tax class over time?

Answer methods vary from multiple choice to ratings on a numerical scale, and there are opportunities for members to write in comments, including about the challenges their businesses face. 

"The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce is reaching out to you with a matter of utmost importance regarding understanding the impact of property taxes in the private sector which directly affects your business and our local community," the chamber told members in the email with the subject line, "SNAPSHOT Municipal Budget Survey: PRIVATE SECTOR".

"The municipal budget significantly impacts our businesses, and your input is crucial to ensure that the City Council is well-informed about the challenges and needs of our private sector.

"As you may be aware, the city council is set to review the municipal budget input on Dec. 11. This is a narrow window of opportunity for us to collectively voice our concerns and influence the decisions that will directly impact our businesses."

"This is an opportunity for you to contribute to the shaping of policies that directly affect your business environment," the email continues.

"Let us unite to make a substantial impact on the decisions that will shape the future of our local business landscape."