Thank you to everyone who participated in the City's Community Budget and Investment Priorities Survey.
Over a 15-day period, 597 respondents shared their thoughts on the services, investments, and priorities they believe should shape Longview's 2027-2028 Biennial Budget. Along with ranking priorities, participants submitted hundreds of thoughtful comments about what the city is doing well, where improvements are needed, and what they hope Longview looks like five to ten years from now.
While opinions differed on specific issues, the survey revealed a remarkable amount of common ground. Residents consistently described a vision for Longview that is safe, financially responsible, economically vibrant, well maintained, affordable, and welcoming. → Read the Executive Summary
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What we heard
Across the survey, five themes emerged consistently.
- Invest in infrastructure. Residents repeatedly identified roads, sidewalks, utilities, and other aging infrastructure as one of the City's highest priorities. Many recognized that maintaining these systems requires long-term planning and sustained investment.
- Support economic growth. Respondents expressed a strong desire for more family-wage jobs, new businesses, downtown revitalization, and continued efforts to grow Longview's economy while broadening the City's tax base.
- Keep neighborhoods safe and well maintained. Community safety extended beyond police and fire services. Residents frequently mentioned clean neighborhoods, well-maintained parks, homelessness response, emergency preparedness, and quality public spaces as important parts of creating a community where people feel safe.
- Balance investment with affordability. Many respondents acknowledged the need to maintain infrastructure and City services while also expressing concerns about taxes, utility rates, housing costs, and the overall cost of living. The survey reflected a desire for responsible stewardship of public resources alongside sensitivity to household budgets.
- Continue communicating with the community. One of the most encouraging themes was the positive feedback residents shared about the City's communication efforts. Many specifically mentioned newsletters, surveys, community meetings, and increased transparency, while encouraging the city to continue showing how public input influences decisions.
Overall, the themes closely align with the Longview City Council's adopted goals for 2026 and will help inform discussions as the city develops its 2027-2028 Biennial Budget.
What's next?
The budget process is now underway.
On July 7, the City Council held its first budget workshop, focusing on the General Fund and the financial outlook for the 2027-2028 Biennial Budget.
The next budget workshop is scheduled for Monday, August 3, at 6 p.m. and will focus on personnel budgeting and the City's Capital Improvement Program.
Throughout the coming months, Council will continue reviewing capital improvement requests, utility budgets and rates, departmental budget requests, and funding priorities before receiving the preliminary budget this fall. Public hearings will follow before the 2027-2028 Biennial Budget is considered for adoption later this year.
Every budget workshop and City Council meeting is open to the public. Residents are encouraged to attend in person, watch online, or provide public comment as Council works through the budget process.
The community survey is one of several tools Council will use throughout the process, alongside financial forecasts, legal requirements, operational needs, and long-term planning.
The Executive Summary provides a deeper look at the survey findings, including detailed results and representative community comments.
