A survey sent to Manitou Springs residents saw stronger support for increasing taxes that would impact visitors rather than residents, while respondents were mostly opposed to cutting public safety services like firefighting.

The questionnaire gauged community feelings on ways to reduce a city budget shortfall that was anticipated to exceed $4 million last year.

The city is facing reduced revenue mainly because recreational marijuana was approved for sale in neighboring Colorado Springs. Manitou Springs has two dispensaries that lost significant sales due to new competition. City leaders have said Manitou Springs may need to scale back its services and raise taxes to stabilize its budget.

The survey asked residents to evaluate how strongly they would support or oppose budget reductions to different city services with a goal of cutting $2 million. Respondents also shared their opinion on supporting or opposing tax increases on property, sales, lodging and amusement.

Manitou Springs attempted to nearly triple its amusement tax to 14% last year with Ballot Issue 2A. The tax increase would have affected ticket sales in the city, where tourism is a main economic driver. Businesses that pay the tax uniformly objected, saying the increase would unfairly burden a small number of taxpayers. The ballot measure was unsuccessful with voters.

Ryan Winger, a polling project manager with Magellan Strategies, the firm that conducted the survey, said survey respondents were more averse to the idea of some tax increases than others.

“They’re just doubling down and reiterating that they don’t want an increase to property taxes,” he said at a city workshop Tuesday.

Among the 583 responses, 69% supported a lodging tax increase and 67% an amusement tax increase. About 54% opposed a sales tax increase, and 75% opposed a property tax increase.

Winger said the survey reflected “strong support for increased taxes paid by visitors.”

Among city services, the respondents were most likely to support a reduction in the budgets of the Manitou Springs City Council, city administration and the Police Department.

Respondents were most supportive of preserving the budgets for firefighting, emergency medical services, public works like snow removal and parks.

Winger said wildfire mitigation especially was “very top of mind” for many respondents. He said open-ended responses included worry about the city’s budget planning and support for Manitou Springs reducing spending before increasing taxes.

“Many residents express concern that the city became too dependent on marijuana taxes,” he said.

Councilmember Judith Chandler said the survey indicated to her a community willingness to pursue a “hybrid approach” to solving the budget deficit.

“We’re not going to put all our eggs in one basket,” she said.

Manitou Springs will host two budget workshops for citizens at City Hall. The first will be from 5:15 to 8 p.m. Thursday. The second will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. For more information, visit the city’s website.