ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager with a Request to Receive and File the 2015 NATIONAL CITIZEN SURVEY COMMUNITY LIVABILITY REPORT.
Body
BACKGROUND: For the second straight year, the City of Peoria engaged The National Citizen Survey (NCS) to prepare a Community Livability Report. According to NCS, “livability” is not a measure of habitability but also of desirability. NCS sent its survey to a scientifically representative sample of 357 residents of the City. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 5%. The survey covered eight areas:
• Safety
• Mobility
• Natural Environment
• Built Environment
• Economy
• Recreation and Wellness
• Education and Enrichment
• Community Engagement
The full report, including all appendices, is attached. Page 12 of the first section outlines the NCS conclusions:
1. Residents are positive about their quality of life. The overall quality of life in Peoria was generally seen as excellent or good by over half of survey respondents and about 6 in 10 residents positively rated Peoria as a place to live. Both of these ratings increased from 2014 to 2015. Close to two-thirds of residents rate their neighborhoods as excellent or good places to live and would recommend living in Peoria. While only one-third of residents gave high ratings to the overall image of the City and Peoria as a place to retire, a level that is lower than in other communities, both of these items increased over time.
2. Safety ratings have increased but there is still room for improvement. Peoria residents rated several aspects of Safety higher in 2015 than in 2014. Ratings increased for overall feeling of safety, feeling safe in Peoria’s downtown/commercial area, police services and crime prevention. Fewer respondents also reported being the victim of a crime in the last year. Most Safety ratings were similar or lower than the national benchmark. However, there is still room for improvement in Peoria’s Safety ratings, especially for those item that are ranked lower than those seen in other communities.
The facet of Safety was identified as one of the most essential or very important areas of focus for the community over the next two years and was the most commonly identified priorities in the open-ended question.
3. Economy is an important area of focus for the community. Participants indicated that the City’s Economy was an important focus area and economic ratings tended to be similar compared to other communities. Ratings have improved for several Economic features in Peoria, including overall economic health, employment opportunities, Peoria as a place to visit, cost of living, the vibrancy of the downtown/commercial area, Peoria as a place to work and the quality of new economic development. Potential areas for continued improvement were overall economic health, the vibrancy of downtown/commercial areas, and Peoria as a place to visit, as these ratings were rated less positively when compared to the national benchmark. About 55% of residents indicated that they work in Peoria, a rating that was higher than those seen in communities across the nation.
4. Residents support balancing the City budget. Residents of Peoria indicated that maintaining the current levels of taxation, combined with decreasing services, would be their first choice for addressing budget shortfalls for the City, with their second solution to be to raise taxes while also decreasing the level of service they have currently. If the City chooses to increases taxes to meet the shortfall and use those funds for infrastructure improvements, about half of citizens would support a stormwater utility fee, a sewer fee or a sales tax to raise the capital for these projects. A majority of residents indicated that they would at least slightly increase funding to road maintenance and crime prevention, but would maintain the current level of funding for most City services. These two areas, safety/crime/police services and roads/infrastructure, were also the most commonly cited concerns when residents were asked about Peoria’s priorities in 2015. In their own words, Peoria citizens also stated that balancing the budget and leadership issues should be a prerogative for City Council to manage in the coming year.
In addition to the standard survey, NCS included three custom questions prepared by the City. Responses are summarized on pages 9-10 of the first section. The first question asked how the City should address its projected budget deficit. The largest response (35%) supported keeping taxes flat and reducing spending. 26% felt that a combination of tax increases and service reductions should be offered. The second question outlined a number of possible areas of revenue increases and asked respondents to indicate their support or opposition to each. Of the sources offered, the strongest support was seen for a stormwater utility fee (49% either strongly or somewhat supporting) and sewer fees (48%). The final question asked respondents to specify changes in funding levels for certain areas. Road maintenance received the most support for an increase (66% supported either a large or slight increase in funding) followed by crime prevention (56%) and police response (44%). These three areas also had the least support for reduced spending (7%, 5% and 3%, respectively).
Finally, at the conclusion of the scientific survey, NCS created a general survey open to anyone. The survey was publicized in the media, on the City’s website and through social media outlets. A total of 553 responses to the survey were received. The full report of this non-scientific effort is also attached.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: The report is based on the input of hundreds of Peoria citizens.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The report will be received and filed.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The report will not be received and filed.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: Not applicable.
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2014 - 2029 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Financially Sound City Government, Effective City Organization
2. Attractive Neighborhoods with Character: Safe and Livable
3. Grow Peoria: Businesses, Jobs, and Population
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Invest in our infrastructure and transportation.
2. Reduce crime.
3. Keep taxes and fees competitive.
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office