TOWN 2955 Valmont Road, Suite 300 Boulder, CO 80301 www.n-r-c.com • 303-444-7863 OF GILBERT, AZ 2013 777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20002 www.icma.org • 202-289-ICMA Town of Gilbert | 2013 Contents Survey Background........................................................................................................... 1 About The National Citizen Survey™ .......................................................................................... 1 Understanding the Results.......................................................................................................... 3 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 5 Community Ratings .......................................................................................................... 7 Overall Community Quality ....................................................................................................... 7 Community Design .................................................................................................................... 9 Transportation ...................................................................................................................... 9 Housing ............................................................................................................................. 13 Land Use and Zoning ......................................................................................................... 15 Economic Sustainability ........................................................................................................... 18 Public Safety ............................................................................................................................ 22 Environmental Sustainability .................................................................................................... 27 Recreation and Wellness .......................................................................................................... 30 Parks and Recreation .......................................................................................................... 30 Culture, Arts and Education................................................................................................ 32 Health and Wellness .......................................................................................................... 34 Community Inclusiveness ........................................................................................................ 35 Civic Engagement .................................................................................................................... 37 Civic Activity...................................................................................................................... 37 Information and Awareness ................................................................................................ 40 Social Engagement ............................................................................................................. 41 Public Trust .............................................................................................................................. 43 Town of Gilbert Employees ................................................................................................ 45 From Data to Action ....................................................................................................... 47 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Resident Priorities .................................................................................................................... 47 Town of Gilbert Action Chart™................................................................................................. 48 Using Your Action Chart™ .................................................................................................. 50 Custom Questions .......................................................................................................... 52 Appendix A: Complete Survey Frequencies..................................................................... 54 Frequencies Excluding “Don’t Know” Responses ..................................................................... 54 Frequencies Including “Don’t Know” Responses...................................................................... 67 Appendix B: Survey Methodology................................................................................... 84 Appendix C: Survey Materials ......................................................................................... 93 The National Citizen Survey™ Town of Gilbert | 2013 Survey Background ABOUT THE NATIONAL CITIZEN SURVEY™ The National Citizen Survey™ (The NCS) is a collaborative effort between National Research Center, Inc. (NRC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The NCS was developed by NRC to provide a statistically valid survey of resident opinions about community and services provided by local government. The survey results may be used by staff, elected officials and other stakeholders for community planning and resource allocation, program improvement and policy making. FIGURE 1: THE NATIONAL CITIZEN SURVEY™ METHODS AND GOALS Survey Objectives • • Assessment Methods • • • • • Identify community strengths and weaknesses Identify service strengths and weaknesses Multi-contact mailed survey Representative sample of 1,200 households 272 surveys returned; 24% response rate 6% margin of error Data statistically weighted to reflect population Assessment Goals The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Immediate • Provide useful information for: • Planning • Resource allocation • Performance measurement • Program and policy evaluation Long-term • Improved services • More civic engagement • Better community quality of life • Stronger public trust The NCS focuses on a series of community characteristics and local government services, as well as issues of public trust. Resident behaviors related to civic engagement in the community also were measured in the survey. The National Citizen Survey™ 1 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 2: THE NATIONAL CITIZEN SURVEY™ FOCUS AREAS COMMUNITY QUALITY Quality of life Quality of neighborhood Place to live COMMUNITY DESIGN Transportation Ease of travel, transit services, street maintenance Housing Housing options, cost, affordability Land Use and Zoning New development, growth, code enforcement Economic Sustainability Employment, shopping and retail, Town as a place to work PUBLIC SAFETY The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Safety in neighborhood and downtown Crime victimization Police, fire, EMS services Emergency preparedness COMMUNITY INCLUSIVENESS ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Cleanliness Air quality Preservation of natural areas Garbage and recycling services Sense of community Racial and cultural acceptance Senior, youth and low-income services CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RECREATION AND WELLNESS Civic Activity Volunteerism Civic attentiveness Voting behavior Parks and Recreation Recreation opportunities, use of parks and facilities, programs and classes Social Engagement Neighborliness, social and religious events Culture, Arts and Education Cultural and educational opportunities, libraries, schools Health and Wellness Availability of food, health services, social services Information and Awareness Public information, publications, Web site PUBLIC TRUST Cooperation in community Value of services Direction of community Citizen involvement Employees The survey and its administration are standardized to assure high quality research methods and directly comparable results across The National Citizen Survey™ jurisdictions. Participating households are selected at random and the household member who responds is selected without bias. Multiple mailings give each household more than one chance to participate with selfaddressed and postage-paid envelopes. Results are statistically weighted to reflect the proper demographic composition of the entire community. Out of the 1,200 surveys sent, a total of 272 completed surveys were obtained, providing an overall response rate of 24%. Typically, response rates obtained on citizen surveys range from 25% to 40%. The National Citizen Survey™ customized for the Town of Gilbert was developed in close cooperation with local jurisdiction staff. Gilbert staff selected items from a menu of questions about services and community issues and provided the appropriate letterhead and signatures for mailings. Town of Gilbert staff also augmented The National Citizen Survey™ basic service through a variety of options including a custom set of benchmark comparisons, crosstabulation of results and several custom questions. The National Citizen Survey™ 2 Town of Gilbert | 2013 UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS As shown in Figure 2, this report is based around respondents’ opinions about eight larger categories: community quality, community design, public safety, environmental sustainability, recreation and wellness, community inclusiveness, civic engagement and public trust. Each report section begins with residents’ ratings of community characteristics and is followed by residents’ ratings of service quality. For all evaluative questions, the percent of residents rating the service or community feature as “excellent” or “good” is presented. To see the full set of responses for each question on the survey, please see Appendix A: Complete Survey Frequencies. Margin of Error The margin of error around results for the Town of Gilbert Survey (272 completed surveys) is plus or minus six percentage points. This is a measure of the precision of your results; a larger number of completed surveys gives a smaller (more precise) margin of error, while a smaller number of surveys yields a larger margin of error. With your margin of error, you may conclude that when 60% of survey respondents report that a particular service is “excellent” or “good,” somewhere between 54-66% of all residents are likely to feel that way. Comparing Survey Results Certain kinds of services tend to be thought better of by residents in many communities across the country. For example, public safety services tend to be received better than transportation services by residents of most American communities. Where possible, the better comparison is not from one service to another in the Town of Gilbert, but from Town of Gilbert services to services like them provided by other jurisdictions. Benchmark Comparisons The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. NRC’s database of comparative resident opinion is comprised of resident perspectives gathered in citizen surveys from approximately 500 jurisdictions whose residents evaluated local government services and gave their opinion about the quality of community life. The comparison evaluations are from the most recent survey completed in each jurisdiction; most communities conduct surveys every year or in alternating years. NRC adds the latest results quickly upon survey completion, keeping the benchmark data fresh and relevant. The Town of Gilbert chose to have comparisons made to the entire database and a subset of similar jurisdictions from the database (selected jurisdictions hand-picked by the Town of Gilbert). A benchmark comparison (the average rating from all the comparison jurisdictions where a similar question was asked) has been provided when a similar question on the Town of Gilbert survey was included in NRC’s database and there were at least five jurisdictions in which the question was asked. For most questions compared to the entire dataset, there were more than 100 jurisdictions included in the benchmark comparison. Where comparisons for quality ratings were available, the Town of Gilbert results were generally noted as being “above” the benchmark, “below” the benchmark or “similar” to the benchmark. For some questions – those related to resident behavior, circumstance or to a local problem – the comparison to the benchmark is designated as “more,” “similar” or “less” (for example, the percent of crime victims, residents visiting a park or residents identifying code enforcement as a problem.) In instances where ratings are considerably higher or lower than the benchmark, these ratings have been further demarcated by the attribute of “much,” (for example, “much less” or “much above”). These labels come from a statistical comparison of the Town of Gilbert's rating to the benchmark. The National Citizen Survey™ 3 Town of Gilbert | 2013 “Don’t Know” Responses and Rounding On many of the questions in the survey respondents may answer “don’t know.” The proportion of respondents giving this reply is shown in the full set of responses included in Appendix A. However, these responses have been removed from the analyses presented in the body of the report. In other words, the tables and graphs display the responses from respondents who had an opinion about a specific item. For some questions, respondents were permitted to select more than one answer. When the total exceeds 100% in a table for a multiple response question, it is because some respondents did select more than one response. When a table for a question that only permitted a single response does not total to exactly 100%, it is due to the customary practice of percentages being rounded to the nearest whole number. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. For more information on understanding The NCS report, please see Appendix B: Survey Methodology. The National Citizen Survey™ 4 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Executive Summary This report of the Town of Gilbert survey provides the opinions of a representative sample of residents about community quality of life, service delivery, civic participation and unique issues of local interest. A periodic sounding of resident opinion offers staff, elected officials and other stakeholders an opportunity to identify challenges and to plan for and evaluate improvements and to sustain services and amenities for long-term success. Most residents experienced a good quality of life in the Town of Gilbert and believed the Town was a good place to live. The overall quality of life in the Town of Gilbert was rated as “excellent” or “good” by 95% of respondents. Almost all reported they plan on staying in the Town of Gilbert for the next five years. A variety of characteristics of the community was evaluated by those participating in the study. The three characteristics receiving the most favorable ratings were the cleanliness of Gilbert, the overall image or reputation of Gilbert and the overall appearance of Gilbert. The three characteristics receiving the least positive ratings were opportunities to attend cultural activities, employment opportunities and ease of bus travel in Gilbert. Ratings of community characteristics were compared to the benchmark database. Of the 30 characteristics for which comparisons were available, 25 were above the national benchmark comparison, three were similar to the national benchmark comparison and two were below. Residents in the Town of Gilbert were somewhat civically engaged. While only 15% had attended a meeting of local elected public officials or other local public meeting in the previous 12 months, 96% had provided help to a friend or neighbor. Less than half had volunteered their time to some group or activity in the Town of Gilbert, which was similar to the national benchmark. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. In general, survey respondents demonstrated strong trust in local government. Most rated the overall direction being taken by the Town of Gilbert as “good” or “excellent.” This was much higher than the national benchmark. Those residents who had interacted with an employee of the Town of Gilbert in the previous 12 months gave high marks to those employees. Most rated their overall impression of employees as “excellent” or “good.” On average, residents gave favorable ratings to most local government services. Town services rated were able to be compared to the national benchmark database. Of the 35 services for which comparisons were available, 31 were above the national benchmark comparison, three were similar to the national benchmark comparison and one was below. Respondents were asked to rate how frequently they participated in various activities in Gilbert. The most popular activities included providing help to a friend or neighbor and recycling; while the least popular activities were attending a meeting of local elected officials and riding a local bus. Generally, participation rates in the various activities in the community were similar to other communities. The National Citizen Survey™ 5 Town of Gilbert | 2013 A Key Driver Analysis was conducted for the Town of Gilbert which examined the relationships between ratings of each service and ratings of the Town of Gilbert’s services overall. Those key driver services that correlated most strongly with residents’ perceptions about overall Town service quality have been identified. By targeting improvements in key services, the Town of Gilbert can focus on the services that have the greatest likelihood of influencing residents’ opinions about overall service quality. Services found to be influential in ratings of overall service quality from the Key Driver Analysis were:   Fire services Public library services The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. For all services, the Town of Gilbert was above the benchmark and should continue to ensure high quality performance. The National Citizen Survey™ 6 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Community Ratings OVERALL COMMUNITY QUALITY Overall quality of community life may be the single best indicator of success in providing the natural ambience, services and amenities that make for an attractive community. The National Citizen Survey™ contained many questions related to quality of community life in the Town of Gilbert – not only direct questions about quality of life overall and in neighborhoods, but questions to measure residents’ commitment to the Town of Gilbert. Residents were asked whether they planned to move soon or if they would recommend the Town of Gilbert to others. Intentions to stay and willingness to make recommendations provide evidence that the Town of Gilbert offers services and amenities that work. Most of the Town of Gilbert’s residents gave high ratings to their neighborhoods and the community as a place to live. Further, almost all reported they would recommend the community to others and plan to stay for the next five years. FIGURE 3: RATINGS OF OVERALL COMMUNITY QUALITY Excellent The overall quality of life in Gilbert 51% Your neighborhood as a place to live 44% 56% Gilbert as a place to live 36% 62% 0% Good 37% 25% 50% 75% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Percent of respondents FIGURE 4: LIKELIHOOD OF REMAINING IN COMMUNITY AND RECOMMENDING COMMUNITY Recommend living in Gilbert to someone who asks Very likely 75% Remain in Gilbert for the next five years Very likely 76% 0% 25% Somewhat likely 21% Somewhat likely 17% 50% Percent "likely" The National Citizen Survey™ 7 75% 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 5: OVERALL COMMUNITY QUALITY BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Much above Above Your neighborhood as place to live Much above Above Gilbert as a place to live Much above Above Recommend living in Gilbert to someone who asks Much above Above Remain in Gilbert for the next five years Much above Above The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Overall quality of life in Gilbert The National Citizen Survey™ 8 Town of Gilbert | 2013 COMMUNITY DESIGN Transportation The ability to move easily throughout a community can greatly affect the quality of life of residents by diminishing time wasted in traffic congestion and by providing opportunities to travel quickly and safely by modes other than the automobile. High quality options for resident mobility not only require local government to remove barriers to flow but they require government programs and policies that create quality opportunities for all modes of travel. Residents responding to the survey were given a list of six aspects of mobility to rate on a scale of “excellent,” “good,” “fair” and “poor.” The availability of paths and walking trails was given the most positive rating, followed by ease of walking and ease of car travel. FIGURE 6: RATINGS OF TRANSPORTATION IN COMMUNITY Excellent Ease of car travel in Gilbert 32% Ease of bus travel in Gilbert 13% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Ease of bicycle travel in Gilbert 47% 27% 31% 43% Ease of walking in Gilbert 33% 47% Availability of paths and walking trails 32% 49% Traffic flow on major streets Good 13% 58% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 7: COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Ease of car travel in Gilbert Much above Above Ease of bus travel in Gilbert Below Similar Ease of bicycle travel in Gilbert Much above Much above Ease of walking in Gilbert Much above Much above Availability of paths and walking trails Much above Above Traffic flow on major streets Much above Above The National Citizen Survey™ 9 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Six transportation services were rated in Gilbert. Dissimilar to most communities across America, ratings tended to be favorable. Every service was above the benchmarks, except for bus or transit services which was similar to the benchmarks. FIGURE 8: RATINGS OF TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING SERVICES Excellent Street repair 23% Street cleaning 49% 36% Street lighting 29% Sidewalk maintenance 26% Traffic signal timing 50% 54% 57% 23% Bus or transit services 46% 21% 0% Good 35% 25% 50% 75% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Percent of respondents FIGURE 9: TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING SERVICES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Street repair Much above Above Street cleaning Much above Much above Street lighting Much above Much above Sidewalk maintenance Much above Much above Traffic signal timing Much above Much above Similar Similar Bus or transit services The National Citizen Survey™ 10 Town of Gilbert | 2013 By measuring choice of travel mode over time, communities can monitor their success in providing attractive alternatives to the traditional mode of travel, the single-occupied automobile. When asked how they typically traveled to work, single-occupancy (SOV) travel was the overwhelming mode of use. However, 12% of work commute trips were made by carpooling and 1% by foot. FIGURE 10: FREQUENCY OF BUS USE IN LAST 12 MONTHS Once or twice 2% 3 to 12 times 3% Never 95% 13 to 26 times 0% More than 26 times 0% FIGURE 11: FREQUENCY OF BUS USE BENCHMARKS National comparison Much less The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Ridden a local bus within Gilbert The National Citizen Survey™ 11 Selected jurisdictions Less Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 12: MODE OF TRAVEL USED FOR WORK COMMUTE Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) by myself 74% Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) with other children or adults 12% Bus, rail, subway or other public transportation 0% Walk 1% Bicycle 0% 12% Work at home Other 0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of days per week mode used FIGURE 13: DRIVE ALONE BENCHMARKS National comparison Similar The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Average percent of work commute trips made by driving alone The National Citizen Survey™ 12 Selected jurisdictions Similar Town of Gilbert | 2013 Housing Housing variety and affordability are not luxuries for any community. When there are too few options for housing style and affordability, the characteristics of a community tilt toward a single group, often of well-off residents. While this may seem attractive to a community, the absence of affordable townhomes, condominiums, mobile homes, single family detached homes and apartments means that in addition to losing the vibrancy of diverse thoughts and lifestyles, the community loses the service workers that sustain all communities – police officers, school teachers, house painters and electricians. These workers must live elsewhere and commute in at great personal cost and to the detriment of traffic flow and air quality. Furthermore lower income residents pay so much of their income to rent or mortgage that little remains to bolster their own quality of life or local business. The survey of the Town of Gilbert residents asked respondents to reflect on the availability of affordable housing as well as the variety of housing options. The availability of affordable housing was rated as “excellent” or “good” by 77% of respondents, while the variety of housing options was rated as “excellent” or “good” by 79% of respondents. The rating of perceived affordable housing availability was much better in the Town of Gilbert than the ratings, on average, in comparison jurisdictions. FIGURE 14: RATINGS OF HOUSING IN COMMUNITY Excellent Availability of affordable quality housing 24% Variety of housing options The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. 53% 36% 0% Good 43% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 15: HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Availability of affordable quality housing Much above Much above Variety of housing options Much above Above The National Citizen Survey™ 13 Town of Gilbert | 2013 To augment the perceptions of affordable housing in Gilbert, the cost of housing as reported in the survey was compared to residents’ reported monthly income to create a rough estimate of the proportion of residents of the Town of Gilbert experiencing housing cost stress. About 20% of survey participants were found to pay housing costs of more than 30% of their monthly household income. FIGURE 16: PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS WHOSE HOUSING COSTS ARE "AFFORDABLE" Housing costs LESS than 30% of income 80% Housing costs 30% or MORE of income 20% FIGURE 17: HOUSING COSTS BENCHMARKS National comparison Much less The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Experiencing housing costs stress (housing costs 30% or MORE of income) The National Citizen Survey™ 14 Selected jurisdictions Much less Town of Gilbert | 2013 Land Use and Zoning Community development contributes to a feeling among residents and even visitors of the attention given to the speed of growth, the location of residences and businesses, the kind of housing that is appropriate for the community and the ease of access to commerce, green space and residences. Even the community’s overall appearance often is attributed to the planning and enforcement functions of the local jurisdiction. Residents will appreciate an attractive, well-planned community. The NCS questionnaire asked residents to evaluate the quality of new development, the appearance of the Town of Gilbert and the speed of population growth. Problems with the appearance of property were rated, and the quality of land use planning, zoning and code enforcement services were evaluated. The overall quality of new development in the Town of Gilbert was rated as “excellent” by 40% of respondents and as “good” by an additional 49%. The overall appearance of Gilbert was rated as “excellent” or “good” by 91% of respondents and was much higher than the benchmarks. When rating to what extent run down buildings, weed lots or junk vehicles were a problem in the Town of Gilbert, 3% thought they were a “major” problem. The services of land use, planning and zoning, code enforcement and animal control were rated much above the national benchmark. FIGURE 18: RATINGS OF THE COMMUNITY'S "BUILT ENVIRONMENT" Excellent Overall quality of new development in Gilbert 40% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Overall appearance of Gilbert 49% 47% 0% Good 44% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 19: BUILT ENVIRONMENT BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Quality of new development in Gilbert Much above Much above Overall appearance of Gilbert Much above Much above The National Citizen Survey™ 15 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 20: RATINGS OF POPULATION GROWTH Somewhat too fast 34% Much too fast 6% Right amount 57% Much too slow 1% Somewhat too slow 1% FIGURE 21: POPULATION GROWTH BENCHMARKS National comparison Population growth seen as too fast Selected jurisdictions More Similar FIGURE 22: RATINGS OF NUISANCE PROBLEMS Moderate problem 21% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Major problem 3% Minor problem 56% Not a problem 21% FIGURE 23: NUISANCE PROBLEMS BENCHMARKS National comparison Run down buildings, weed lots and junk vehicles seen as a "major" problem Much less The National Citizen Survey™ 16 Selected jurisdictions Similar Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 24: RATINGS OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES Excellent Land use, planning and zoning 17% Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 53% 15% Animal control 44% 26% 0% Good 53% 50% 25% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 25: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Much above Above Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) Much above Similar Animal control Much above Above The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Land use, planning and zoning The National Citizen Survey™ 17 Town of Gilbert | 2013 ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY The United States has been in recession since late 2007 with an accelerated downturn occurring in the fourth quarter of 2008. Officially we emerged from recession in the third quarter of 2009, but high unemployment lingers, keeping a lid on a strong recovery. Many readers worry that the ill health of the economy will color how residents perceive their environment and the services that local government delivers. NRC researchers have found that the economic downturn has chastened Americans’ view of their own economic futures but has not colored their perspectives about community services or quality of life. Survey respondents were asked to rate a number of community features related to economic opportunity and growth. The most positively rated features were the overall quality of business and service establishments in Gilbert and shopping opportunities. Receiving the lowest rating was employment opportunities. FIGURE 26: RATINGS OF ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES Excellent Employment opportunities 16% Shopping opportunities 41% 34% Overall quality of business and service establishments in Gilbert 36% 29% 0% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. 29% 39% Gilbert as a place to work Good 53% 25% 75% 50% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 27: ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National Selected comparison jurisdictions Employment opportunities Much above Similar Shopping opportunities Much above Similar Gilbert as a place to work Much above Below Overall quality of business and service establishments in Gilbert Much above Not available The National Citizen Survey™ 18 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Residents were asked to evaluate the speed of jobs growth and retail growth on a scale from “much too slow” to “much too fast.” When asked about the rate of jobs growth in Gilbert, 70% responded that it was “too slow,” while 26% reported retail growth as “too slow.” Fewer residents in Gilbert compared to national jurisdictions believed that retail growth was too slow and fewer residents believed that jobs growth was too slow. FIGURE 28: RATINGS OF RETAIL AND JOBS GROWTH Retail Growth Jobs Growth Somewhat too fast 7% Right amount 66% Right amount 30% Much too fast 1% Somewhat too fast 0% Somewhat too slow 54% Much too slow 2% Much too fast 0% Much too slow 16% Somewhat too slow 24% FIGURE 29: RETAIL AND JOBS GROWTH BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Much less Similar Jobs growth seen as too slow Much less Similar The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Retail growth seen as too slow The National Citizen Survey™ 19 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 30: RATINGS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES Fair 29% Good 48% Poor 5% Excellent 18% FIGURE 31: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Much above The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Economic development The National Citizen Survey™ 20 Similar Town of Gilbert | 2013 Residents were asked to reflect on their economic prospects in the near term. Thirty-four percent of the Town of Gilbert residents expected that the coming six months would have a “somewhat” or “very” positive impact on their family, while 18% felt that the economic future would be “somewhat” or “very” negative. The percent of residents with an optimistic outlook on their household income was much more than comparison jurisdictions. FIGURE 32: RATINGS OF PERSONAL ECONOMIC FUTURE Neutral 47% Somewhat negative 16% Very negative 2% What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Very positive 9% Somewhat positive 25% FIGURE 33: PERSONAL ECONOMIC FUTURE BENCHMARKS National comparison Much above The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Positive impact of economy on household income The National Citizen Survey™ 21 Selected jurisdictions Much above Town of Gilbert | 2013 PUBLIC SAFETY Safety from violent or property crimes creates the cornerstone of an attractive community. No one wants to live in fear of crime, fire or natural hazards, and communities in which residents feel protected or unthreatened are communities that are more likely to show growth in population, commerce and property value. Residents were asked to rate their feelings of safety from violent crimes, property crimes, fire and environmental dangers and to evaluate the local agencies whose main charge is to provide protection from these dangers. Most gave positive ratings of safety in the Town of Gilbert. About 91% of those completing the questionnaire said they felt “very” or “somewhat” safe from violent crimes and 91% felt “very” or “somewhat” safe from environmental hazards. FIGURE 34: RATINGS OF COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL PUBLIC SAFETY Very safe In your neighborhood during the day 75% In your neighborhood after dark 20% 40% 50% In Gilbert's Heritage District area during the day 63% In Gilbert's Heritage District area after dark 29% 38% Violent crime (e.g., rape, assault, robbery) The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Somewhat safe 38% 52% Property crimes (e.g., burglary, theft) 39% 32% Environmental hazards, including toxic waste 46% 61% 0% 30% 25% 50% Percent of respondents The National Citizen Survey™ 22 75% 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 35: COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL PUBLIC SAFETY BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions In your neighborhood during the day Above Similar Much above Much above Similar Above In Gilbert's downtown area after dark Much above Much above Violent crime (e.g., rape, assault, robbery) Much above Much above Property crimes (e.g., burglary, theft) Much above Much above Environmental hazards, including toxic waste Much above Much above In your neighborhood after dark In Gilbert's downtown area during the day As assessed by the survey, 7% of respondents reported that someone in the household had been the victim of one or more crimes in the past year. Of those who had been the victim of a crime, 90% had reported it to police. Compared to other jurisdictions fewer Gilbert residents had been victims of crime in the 12 months preceding the survey and more Gilbert residents had reported their most recent crime victimization to the police. FIGURE 36: CRIME VICTIMIZATION AND REPORTING During the past 12 months, were you or anyone in your household the victim of any crime? The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. No 93% No 10% Yes 7% Yes 90% If yes, was this crime (these crimes) reported to the police? FIGURE 37: CRIME VICTIMIZATION AND REPORTING BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Victim of crime Less Similar Reported crimes Much more Much more The National Citizen Survey™ 23 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Residents rated eight Town public safety services; of these, seven were rated above the national benchmark comparison, one was rated similar to the national benchmark comparison and none were rated below the national benchmark comparison. Fire services and ambulance or emergency medical services received the highest ratings, while municipal courts and emergency preparedness received the lowest ratings. FIGURE 38: RATINGS OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES Excellent 42% Police services Ambulance or emergency medical services 42% 51% 42% 33% Crime prevention Fire prevention and education The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. 50% 55% Fire services 52% 44% Traffic enforcement 24% Municipal courts 27% Emergency preparedness 46% 55% 45% 25% 0% Good 39% 25% 50% Percent of respondents The National Citizen Survey™ 24 75% 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 39: PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES BENCHMARKS National comparison Police services Selected jurisdictions Much above Above Fire services Above Above Ambulance or emergency medical services Above Similar Crime prevention Much above Above Fire prevention and education Much above Much above Traffic enforcement Above Above Similar Emergency preparedness (services that prepare the community for natural disasters or other emergency situations) Similar Similar The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Much above Courts The National Citizen Survey™ 25 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 40: CONTACT WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT Good 38% Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Police Department within the last 12 months? Fair 6% Yes 33% No 67% Poor 9% Excellent 47% What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department? FIGURE 41: CONTACT WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Fire Department within the last 12 months? Good 28% Yes 16% Fair 2% Excellent 70% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. No 84% Poor 0% What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department? FIGURE 42: CONTACT WITH POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS BENCHMARKS National comparison Had contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department Selected jurisdictions Less Not available Overall impression of most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department Above Not available Had contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department Similar Not available Overall impression of most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department Above Not available The National Citizen Survey™ 26 Town of Gilbert | 2013 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Residents value the aesthetic qualities of their hometowns and appreciate features such as overall cleanliness and landscaping. In addition, the appearance and smell or taste of the air and water do not go unnoticed. These days, increasing attention is paid to proper treatment of the environment. At the same time that they are attending to community appearance and cleanliness, cities, counties, states and the nation are going “Green”. These strengthening environmental concerns extend to trash haul, recycling, sewer services, the delivery of power and water and preservation of open spaces. Treatment of the environment affects air and water quality and, generally, how habitable and inviting a place appears. Residents of the Town of Gilbert were asked to evaluate their local environment and the services provided to ensure its quality. The overall quality of the natural environment was rated as “excellent” or “good” by 85% of survey respondents. The cleanliness of Gilbert received the highest rating, and it was much above the benchmarks. FIGURE 43: RATINGS OF THE COMMUNITY'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Excellent 44% Cleanliness of Gilbert Quality of overall natural environment in Gilbert 24% Preservation of natural areas such as open space, farmlands and greenbelts 25% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Air quality 50% 61% 45% 12% 0% Good 53% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 44: COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Much above Much above Above Similar Much above Above Below Similar Cleanliness of Gilbert Quality of overall natural environment in Gilbert Preservation of natural areas such as open space, farmlands and greenbelts Air quality The National Citizen Survey™ 27 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Resident recycling was much greater than recycling reported in comparison communities. FIGURE 45: FREQUENCY OF RECYCLING IN LAST 12 MONTHS Never 6% More than 26 times 71% Once or twice 1% 3 to 12 times 12% 13 to 26 times 10% FIGURE 46: FREQUENCY OF RECYCLING BENCHMARKS National comparison Much more The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Recycled used paper, cans or bottles from your home The National Citizen Survey™ 28 Selected jurisdictions Much more Town of Gilbert | 2013 Of the six utility services rated by those completing the questionnaire, five were much higher than the national benchmark comparison and one was much below the national benchmark comparison. FIGURE 47: RATINGS OF UTILITY SERVICES Excellent 29% Sewer services 35% 48% 34% Storm drainage The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. 62% 14% Drinking water Yard waste pick-up 50% Recycling 53% 41% Garbage collection 52% 44% 0% Good 44% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 48: UTILITY SERVICES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Sewer services Much above Similar Drinking water Much below Below Storm drainage Much above Above Yard waste pick-up Much above Not available Recycling Much above Much above Garbage collection Much above Above The National Citizen Survey™ 29 Town of Gilbert | 2013 RECREATION AND WELLNESS Parks and Recreation Quality parks and recreation opportunities help to define a community as more than the grind of its business, traffic and hard work. Leisure activities vastly can improve the quality of life of residents, serving both to entertain and mobilize good health. The survey contained questions seeking residents’ perspectives about opportunities and services related to the community’s parks and recreation services. Recreation opportunities in the Town of Gilbert were rated positively as were services related to parks and recreation. Town parks, recreation centers and recreation programs were all rated much above the national benchmark. Resident use of Gilbert parks and recreation facilities tells its own story about the attractiveness and accessibility of those services. The percent of residents that used Gilbert recreation centers was about the same as the percent of users in national jurisdictions. Similarly, recreation program use in Gilbert was about the same as use in national jurisdictions. FIGURE 49: RATINGS OF COMMUNITY RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Fair 25% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Good 43% Poor 4% Excellent 28% FIGURE 50: COMMUNITY RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS Recreation opportunities National comparison Selected jurisdictions Above Below The National Citizen Survey™ 30 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 51: PARTICIPATION IN PARKS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES Used Gilbert recreation centers 59% 45% Participated in a recreation program or activity Visited a neighborhood park or Town park 89% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents who did each at least once in last 12 months FIGURE 52: PARTICIPATION IN PARKS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Used Gilbert recreation centers Similar Similar Participated in a recreation program or activity Similar Similar Visited a neighborhood park or Town park Similar More FIGURE 53: RATINGS OF PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES Excellent 45% Town parks The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Recreation programs or classes 48% 36% Recreation centers or facilities 55% 30% 0% Good 59% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 54: PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Town parks Much above Similar Recreation programs or classes Much above Similar Recreation centers or facilities Much above Similar The National Citizen Survey™ 31 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Culture, Arts and Education A full service community does not address only the life and safety of its residents. Like individuals who simply go to the office and return home, a community that pays attention only to the life sustaining basics becomes insular, dreary and uninspiring. In the case of communities without thriving culture, arts and education opportunities, the magnet that attracts those who might consider relocating there is vastly weakened. Cultural, artistic, social and educational services elevate the opportunities for personal growth among residents. In the survey, residents were asked about the quality of opportunities to participate in cultural and educational activities. Opportunities to attend cultural activities were rated as “excellent” or “good” by 49% of respondents. Educational opportunities were rated as “excellent” or “good” by 68% of respondents. Compared to the benchmark data, educational opportunities were above the average of national jurisdictions, while cultural activity opportunities were rated similar to the national benchmark comparison. About 70% of Gilbert residents used a Town library at least once in the 12 months preceding the survey. This participation rate for library use was similar to national jurisdictions. FIGURE 55: RATINGS OF CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Excellent Opportunities to attend cultural activities 33% 16% 26% Educational opportunities Good 0% 42% 25% 50% 75% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Percent of respondents FIGURE 56: CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Opportunities to attend cultural activities Similar Much below Educational opportunities Above Similar The National Citizen Survey™ 32 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 57: PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Used Gilbert public libraries or their services 70% Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Gilbert 59% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents who did each at least once in last 12 months FIGURE 58: PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Used Gilbert public libraries or their services Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Gilbert Similar More Much more Not available FIGURE 59: PERCEPTION OF CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES Excellent Public schools 35% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Public library services 48% 38% 0% Good 52% 25% 50% 75% Percent of respondents FIGURE 60: CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Public schools Public library services Much above Similar Above Similar The National Citizen Survey™ 33 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 Health and Wellness Healthy residents have the wherewithal to contribute to the economy as volunteers or employees and they do not present a burden in cost and time to others. Although residents bear the primary responsibility for their good health, local government provides services that can foster that well being and that provide care when residents are ill. Residents of the Town of Gilbert were asked to rate the community’s health services as well as the availability of health care, high quality affordable food and preventive health care services. The availability of affordable quality food was rated most positively for the Town of Gilbert, while the availability of affordable quality health care was rated less favorably by residents. Among Gilbert residents, 19% rated affordable quality health care as “excellent” while 52% rated it as “good.” Those ratings were much above the ratings of national jurisdictions. FIGURE 61: RATINGS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES Excellent Availability of affordable quality health care 19% Availability of affordable quality food 52% 33% Availability of preventive health services Good 46% 24% 0% 51% 25% 50% 75% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Percent of respondents FIGURE 62: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Availability of affordable quality health care Much above Not available Availability of affordable quality food Much above Not available Availability of preventive health services Much above Not available The National Citizen Survey™ 34 Town of Gilbert | 2013 COMMUNITY INCLUSIVENESS Diverse communities that include among their residents a mix of races, ages, wealth, ideas and beliefs have the raw material for the most vibrant and creative society. However, the presence of these features alone does not ensure a high quality or desirable space. Surveyed residents were asked about the success of the mix: the sense of community, the openness of residents to people of diverse backgrounds and the attractiveness of the Town of Gilbert as a place to raise children or to retire. They were also questioned about the quality of services delivered to various population subgroups, including older adults, youth and residents with few resources. A community that succeeds in creating an inclusive environment for a variety of residents is a community that offers more to many. Nearly all residents rated the Town of Gilbert as an “excellent” or “good” place to raise kids and a high percentage rated it as an excellent or good place to retire. Most residents felt that the local sense of community was “excellent” or “good.” Most survey respondents felt the Town of Gilbert was open and accepting towards people of diverse backgrounds. The availability of affordable quality child care was rated the lowest by residents but was higher than the national benchmark. FIGURE 63: RATINGS OF COMMUNITY QUALITY AND INCLUSIVENESS Excellent 29% Sense of community Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. 49% 26% Availability of affordable quality child care 51% 11% 44% Gilbert as a place to raise children 57% Gilbert as a place to retire 38% 41% 0% Good 40% 25% 50% Percent of respondents The National Citizen Survey™ 35 75% 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 64: COMMUNITY QUALITY AND INCLUSIVENESS BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Sense of community Much above Much above Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds Much above Above Above Not available Gilbert as a place to raise kids Much above Much above Gilbert as a place to retire Much above Above Availability of affordable quality child care Services to more vulnerable populations (e.g., seniors, youth or low-income residents) ranged from 70% to 72% with ratings of “excellent” or “good.” Services to seniors were the same as the national benchmark while services to youth and services to low income people were much above. FIGURE 65: RATINGS OF QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED FOR POPULATION SUBGROUPS Excellent Services to seniors 22% Services to youth 24% Services to low-income people 25% 0% Good 48% 47% 47% 25% 50% 100% 75% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Percent of respondents FIGURE 66: SERVICES PROVIDED FOR POPULATION SUBGROUPS BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Services to seniors Similar Services to youth Much above Similar Services to low income people Much above Much above The National Citizen Survey™ 36 Below Town of Gilbert | 2013 CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Community leaders cannot run a jurisdiction alone and a jurisdiction cannot run effectively if residents remain strangers with little to connect them. Elected officials and staff require the assistance of local residents whether that assistance comes in tacit approval or eager help; and commonality of purpose among the electorate facilitates policies and programs that appeal to most and causes discord among few. Furthermore, when neighbors help neighbors, the cost to the community to provide services to residents in need declines. When residents are civically engaged, they have taken the opportunity to participate in making the community more livable for all. The extent to which local government provides opportunities to become informed and engaged and the extent to which residents take those opportunities is an indicator of the connection between government and populace. By understanding your residents’ level of connection to, knowledge of and participation in local government, the Town can find better opportunities to communicate and educate citizens about its mission, services, accomplishments and plans. Communities with strong civic engagement may be more likely to see the benefits of programs intended to improve the quality of life of all residents and therefore would be more likely to support those new policies or programs. Civic Activity Respondents were asked about the perceived community volunteering opportunities and their participation as citizens of the Town of Gilbert. Survey participants rated the volunteer opportunities in the Town of Gilbert favorably. Opportunities to attend or participate in community matters were rated similarly. The rating for opportunities to participate in community matters was above the national benchmark while the rating for opportunities to volunteer was similar to the national benchmark. FIGURE 67: RATINGS OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Excellent Opportunities to participate in community matters 29% Opportunities to volunteer 39% 34% 0% Good 37% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 68: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Opportunities to participate in community matters Above Above Opportunities to volunteer Similar Above The National Citizen Survey™ 37 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Most of the participants in this survey had not attended a public meeting, volunteered time to a group or participated in a club in the 12 months prior to the survey, but the vast majority had helped a friend. The participation rates of these civic behaviors were compared to the rates in other jurisdictions. Compared to the national benchmark, volunteering time to a group, participating in a club and providing help to a neighbor showed similar rates of involvement; while attending a meeting of local elected officials and watching a meeting of local elected officials showed much lower rates of community engagement. FIGURE 69: PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Attended a meeting of local elected officials or other local public meeting 15% Watched a meeting of local elected officials or other Town-sponsored public meeting on cable television, the Internet or other media 26% Volunteered your time to some group or activity in Gilbert 42% 27% Participated in a club or civic group in Gilbert Provided help to a friend or neighbor 96% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents who did each at least once in last 12 months FIGURE 70: PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National Selected comparison jurisdictions Attended a meeting of local elected officials or other local public meeting Much less Similar Watched a meeting of local elected officials or other public meeting on cable television, the Internet or other media Much less Less Volunteered your time to some group or activity in Gilbert Similar More Participated in a club or civic group in Gilbert Similar Not available Provided help to a friend or neighbor Similar Similar The National Citizen Survey™ 38 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Town of Gilbert residents showed the largest amount of civic engagement in the area of electoral participation. Eighty-eight percent reported they were registered to vote and 77% indicated they had voted in the last general election. This rate of self-reported voting was similar to national jurisdictions. FIGURE 71: REPORTED VOTING BEHAVIOR Are you registered to vote in your jurisdiction? Yes 88% Ineligible to vote 2% Yes 77% Ineligible to vote 1% No 21% No 11% Do you remember voting in the last general election? FIGURE 72: VOTING BEHAVIOR BENCHMARKS National comparison Registered to vote More Similar Similar Similar The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Voted in last general election Selected jurisdictions The National Citizen Survey™ 39 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Information and Awareness Those completing the survey were asked about their use and perceptions of various information sources and local government media services. When asked whether they had visited the Town of Gilbert Web site in the previous 12 months, 73% reported they had done so at least once. Public information services were rated favorably compared to national benchmark data. FIGURE 73: USE OF INFORMATION SOURCES Visited the Town of Gilbert Web site (at www.gilbertaz.gov) 73% 0% 20% 60% 40% 100% 80% Percent of respondents who did each at least once in last 12 months FIGURE 74: USE OF INFORMATION SOURCES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Visited the Town of Gilbert Web site Much more Much more FIGURE 75: RATINGS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEDIA SERVICES AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION Excellent 18% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Cable television Public information services 46% 23% 0% Good 56% 25% 50% 75% Percent of respondents FIGURE 76: LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEDIA SERVICES AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Cable television Public information services Above Similar Much above Similar The National Citizen Survey™ 40 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 Social Engagement Opportunities to participate in social events and activities were rated as “excellent” or “good” by 64% of respondents, while even more rated opportunities to participate in religious or spiritual events and activities as “excellent” or “good.” FIGURE 77: RATINGS OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Excellent Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 23% Opportunities to participate in religious or spiritual events and activities 41% 45% 0% Good 38% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 78: SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES BENCHMARKS National comparison Opportunities to participate in social events and activities Similar Not available Much above Not available The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Opportunities to participate in religious or spiritual events and activities The National Citizen Survey™ 41 Selected jurisdictions Town of Gilbert | 2013 Residents in Gilbert reported a fair amount of neighborliness. About half indicated talking or visiting with their neighbors at least several times a week. This amount of contact with neighbors was about the same as the amount of contact reported nationwide. FIGURE 79: CONTACT WITH IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS Just about everyday 18% About how often, if at all, do you talk to or visit with your immediate neighbors? Less than several times a month 29% Several times a week 30% Several times a month 23% FIGURE 80: CONTACT WITH IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Similar The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Has contact with neighbors at least several times per week The National Citizen Survey™ 42 More Town of Gilbert | 2013 PUBLIC TRUST When local government leaders are trusted, an environment of cooperation is more likely to surround all decisions they make. Cooperation leads to easier communication between leaders and residents and increases the likelihood that high value policies and programs will be implemented to improve the quality of life of the entire community. Trust can be measured in residents’ opinions about the overall direction the Town of Gilbert is taking, their perspectives about the service value their taxes purchase and the openness of government to citizen participation. In addition, resident opinion about services provided by the Town of Gilbert could be compared to their opinion about services provided by the state and federal governments. If residents find nothing to admire in the services delivered by any level of government, their opinions about the Town of Gilbert may be colored by their dislike of what all levels of government provide. Most respondents felt that the value of services for taxes paid was “excellent” or “good.” When asked to rate the job the Town of Gilbert does at welcoming citizen involvement, 72% rated it as “excellent” or “good.” All four of these ratings were much above the national benchmark. FIGURE 81: PUBLIC TRUST RATINGS Excellent The value of services for the taxes paid to Gilbert 22% The overall direction that Gilbert is taking The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. 55% 58% 23% The job Gilbert government does at welcoming citizen involvement 21% Overall image or reputation of Gilbert Good 51% 41% 0% 51% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 82: PUBLIC TRUST BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Value of services for the taxes paid to Gilbert Much above Much above The overall direction that Gilbert is taking Much above Above Job Gilbert government does at welcoming citizen involvement Much above Above Overall image or reputation of Gilbert Much above Much above The National Citizen Survey™ 43 Town of Gilbert | 2013 On average, residents of the Town of Gilbert gave the highest evaluations to their own local government and the lowest average rating to the Federal Government. The overall quality of services delivered by the Town of Gilbert was rated as “excellent” or “good” by 90% of survey participants. The Town of Gilbert’s rating was above the benchmarks. FIGURE 83: RATINGS OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS Excellent Services provided by Town of Gilbert 53% 37% Services provided by the Federal Government 9% Services provided by the State Government 11% Services provided by Maricopa County Government 12% Good 32% 41% 48% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents FIGURE 84: SERVICES PROVIDED BY LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Services provided by the Town of Gilbert Services provided by the Federal Government Services provided by the State Government Services provided by Maricopa County Government Much above Above Similar Similar Much above Above Above Above The National Citizen Survey™ 44 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Town of Gilbert Employees The employees of the Town of Gilbert who interact with the public create the first impression that most residents have of the Town of Gilbert. Front line staff who provide information, assist with bill paying, collect trash, create service schedules, fight fires and crime and even give traffic tickets are the collective face of the Town of Gilbert. As such, it is important to know about residents’ experience talking with that “face.” When employees appear to be knowledgeable, responsive and courteous, residents are more likely to feel that any needs or problems may be solved through positive and productive interactions with the Town of Gilbert staff. Those completing the survey were asked if they had been in contact with a Town employee either in-person, over the phone or via email in the last 12 months; the 41% who reported that they had been in contact (a percent that is lower than the benchmark comparisons) were then asked to indicate overall how satisfied they were with the employee in their most recent contact. Town employees were rated highly; 88% of respondents rated their overall impression as “excellent” or “good.” FIGURE 85: PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS WHO HAD CONTACT WITH TOWN EMPLOYEES IN PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS Have you had any in-person, phone or email contact with an employee of Gilbert within the last 12 months? Yes 41% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. No 59% FIGURE 86: CONTACT WITH TOWN EMPLOYEES BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Had contact with Town employee(s) in last 12 months Much less The National Citizen Survey™ 45 Less Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 87: RATINGS OF TOWN EMPLOYEES (AMONG THOSE WHO HAD CONTACT) Excellent Knowledge 51% Responsiveness 39% 54% Courtesy 33% 60% Overall impression 32% 50% 0% Good 38% 25% 50% 75% Percent of respondents who had contact with an employee in previous 12 months FIGURE 88: RATINGS OF TOWN EMPLOYEES (AMONG THOSE WHO HAD CONTACT) BENCHMARKS National comparison Selected jurisdictions Much above Above Responsiveness Much above Above Courteousness Much above Above Overall impression Much above Above The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Knowledge The National Citizen Survey™ 46 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 From Data to Action RESIDENT PRIORITIES Knowing where to focus limited resources to improve residents’ opinions of local government requires information that targets the services that are most important to residents. However, when residents are asked what services are most important, they rarely stray beyond core services – those directed to save lives and improve safety. In market research, identifying the most important characteristics of a transaction or product is called Key Driver Analysis (KDA). The key drivers that are identified from that analysis do not come from asking customers to self-report which service or product characteristic most influenced their decision to buy or return, but rather from statistical analyses of the predictors of their behavior. When customers are asked to name the most important characteristics of a good or service, responses often are expected or misleading – just as they can be in the context of a citizen survey. For example, air travelers often claim that safety is the primary consideration in their choice of an airline, yet key driver analysis reveals that frequent flier perks or in-flight entertainment predicts their buying decisions. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. In local government core services – like fire protection – invariably land at the top of the list created when residents are asked about the most important local government services. And core services are important. But by using KDA, our approach digs deeper to identify the less obvious, but more influential services that are most related to residents’ ratings of overall quality of local government services. Because services focused directly on life and safety remain essential to quality government, it is suggested that core services should remain the focus of continuous monitoring and improvement where necessary – but monitoring core services or asking residents to identify important services is not enough. A KDA was conducted for the Town of Gilbert by examining the relationships between ratings of each service and ratings of the Town of Gilbert’s overall services. Those Key Driver services that correlated most highly with residents’ perceptions about overall Town service quality have been identified. By targeting improvements in key services, the Town of Gilbert can focus on the services that have the greatest likelihood of influencing residents’ opinions about overall service quality. Because a strong correlation is not the same as a cause, there is no guarantee that improving ratings on key drivers necessarily will improve ratings. What is certain from these analyses is that key drivers are good predictors of overall resident opinion and that the key drivers presented may be useful focus areas to consider for enhancement of overall service ratings. Services found to be most strongly correlated with ratings of overall service quality from the Gilbert Key Driver Analysis were:   Fire services Public library services The National Citizen Survey™ 47 Town of Gilbert | 2013 TOWN OF GILBERT ACTION CHART™ The 2013 Town of Gilbert Action Chart™ on the following page combines two dimensions of performance: Comparison to resident evaluations from other communities. When a comparison is available, the background color of each service box indicates whether the service is above the national benchmark (green), similar to the benchmark (yellow) or below the benchmark (red).  Identification of key services. A black key icon ( ) next to a service box indicates it as a key driver for the Town. Twenty services were included in the KDA for the Town of Gilbert. Of these, 19 were above the benchmark, one was below the benchmark and none were similar to the benchmark.  Considering all performance data included in the Action Chart, a jurisdiction typically will want to consider improvements to any key driver services that are not at least similar to the benchmark. In the case of Gilbert, no key drivers were below the benchmark. More detail about interpreting results can be found in the next section. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Services with a high percent of respondents answering “don’t know” were excluded from the analysis and were considered services that would be less influential. See Appendix A: Complete Survey Frequencies, Frequencies Excluding “Don’t Know” Responses for the percent “don’t know” for each service. The National Citizen Survey™ 48 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FIGURE 89: TOWN OF GILBERT ACTION CHART Sample Overall Quality of Town of Gilbert Services Public Safety Community Design Code enforcement Traffic signal timing Economic development Street repair Sidewalk Maintenance Street cleaning Traffic enforcement Police services Fire services Street lighting Recreation and Wellness Town parks Environmental Sustainability Drinking water Recycling Garbage collection Sewer services Preservation of natural areas Storm drainage Library Civic Engagement Cable television Legend Above Benchmark Public schools Similar to Benchmark Below Benchmark The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Key Driver The National Citizen Survey™ 49 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Using Your Action Chart™ The key drivers derived for the Town of Gilbert provide a list of those services that are uniquely related to overall service quality. Those key drivers are marked with the symbol of a key in the action chart. Because key driver results are based on a relatively small number of responses, the relationships or correlations that define the key drivers are subject to more variability than is seen when key drivers are derived from a large national dataset of resident responses. To benefit the Town of Gilbert, NRC lists the key drivers derived from tens of thousands of resident responses from across the country. This national list is updated periodically so that you can compare your key drivers to the key drivers from the entire NRC dataset. Where your locally derived key drivers overlap national key drivers, it makes sense to focus even more strongly on your keys. Similarly, when your local key drivers overlap your core services, there is stronger argument to make for attending to your key drivers that overlap with core services. As staff review key drivers, not all drivers may resonate as likely links to residents’ perspectives about overall service quality. For example, in Gilbert, planning and zoning and police services may be obvious links to overall service delivery (and each is a key driver from our national database), since it could be easy for staff to see how residents’ view of overall service delivery could be colored by how well they perceive police and land use planning to be delivered. But animal control could be a surprise. Before rejecting a key driver that does not pass the first test of conventional wisdom, consider whether residents’ opinions about overall service quality could reasonably be influenced by this unexpected driver. For example, in the case of animal control, was there a visible case of violation prior to the survey data collection? Do Gilbert residents have different expectations for animal control than what current policy provides? Are the rare instances of violation serious enough to cause a word of mouth campaign about service delivery? The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. If, after deeper review, the “suspect” driver still does not square with your understanding of the services that could influence residents’ perspectives about overall service quality (and if that driver is not a core service or a key driver from NRC’s national research), put action in that area on hold and wait to see if it appears as a key driver the next time the survey is conducted. In the following table, we have listed your key drivers, core services and the national key drivers and we have indicated (in bold typeface and with the symbol “•”), the Town of Gilbert key drivers that overlap core services or the nationally derived keys. In general, key drivers below the benchmark may be targeted for improvement. Additionally, we have indicated (with the symbol “°”) those services that neither are local nor national key drivers nor are they core services. It is these services that could be considered first for resource reductions. The National Citizen Survey™ 50 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Service FIGURE 90: KEY DRIVERS COMPARED Town of Gilbert Key Driver Police services • Fire services National Key Driver Core Service     ° Traffic enforcement Street repair  ° Street cleaning ° Street lighting ° Sidewalk maintenance ° Traffic signal timing Garbage collection  ° Recycling Storm drainage  Drinking water  Sewer services  ° Town parks Code enforcement  Economic development  Public library  Public schools  ° Cable television ° Preservation of natural areas The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. • Key driver overlaps with national and or core services ° Service may be targeted for reductions it is not a key driver or core service The National Citizen Survey™ 51 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Custom Questions “Don’t know” responses have been removed from the following questions, when applicable. Question 22a: Custom Question 1 Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel from the following driving conditions on roadways in Gilbert: Very safe Somewhat safe Neither safe or unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Total Speed 37% 43% 12% 7% 2% 100% Driving Under the Influence (DUI) 24% 38% 20% 9% 9% 100% Aggressive driving 21% 42% 16% 15% 6% 100% Question 22b: Custom Question 2 How safe or unsafe do you feel driving on the roadways in Gilbert? Percent of respondents Very safe 42% Somewhat safe 45% Neither safe or unsafe 7% Somewhat unsafe 4% Very unsafe 2% Total 100% Question 22c: Custom Question 3 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. To what extent do you support or oppose the Town of Gilbert financially contributing to non-profit organizations that address the needs of seniors, children and the working poor? Percent of respondents Strongly support 33% Somewhat support 52% Somewhat oppose 10% Strongly oppose 5% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 52 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 22d: Custom Question 4 Do you use social media to learn about community news or town events (such as festivals, concerts, races and contests)? Percent of respondents Yes 54% No 46% Total 100% Question 22e: Custom Question 5 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. If it became necessary to raise additional money in order to fund improved parks and recreation facilities and programs in Gilbert, to what degree would you support or oppose each of the following options that Gilbert could consider? Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Spending a larger share of the Gilbert General Fund budget on parks and recreation 20% 52% 20% 7% Increasing Gilbert's bed tax which is charged on all hotel and motel rooms 16% 41% 28% 15% Establishing additional fees for some types of recreation programs or the use of some types of recreation facilities 11% 41% 32% 17% Increasing the fees that people pay to use Gilbert recreational facilities and programs 12% 39% 32% 16% Increasing Gilbert's sales tax to pay for parks and recreation improvements 5% 24% 32% 39% Establishing a Gilbert primary property tax to fund recreation facilities and programs 5% 17% 31% 47% Creating a special tax only for recreational facilities and programs 7% 15% 41% 37% Total 100% 100% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 53 100% 100% 100% 100% Town of Gilbert | 2013 Appendix A: Complete Survey Frequencies FREQUENCIES EXCLUDING “DON’T KNOW” RESPONSES Question 1: Quality of Life Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of life in Gilbert: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total Gilbert as a place to live 62% 37% 1% 0% 100% Your neighborhood as a place to live 56% 36% 7% 1% 100% Gilbert as a place to raise children 57% 38% 4% 0% 100% Gilbert as a place to work 34% 36% 20% 10% 100% Gilbert as a place to retire 41% 40% 17% 2% 100% The overall quality of life in Gilbert 51% 44% 4% 1% 100% Excellent Good Fair Poor Total Sense of community 29% 49% 19% 3% 100% Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds 26% 51% 19% 5% 100% Overall appearance of Gilbert 47% 44% 9% 0% 100% Cleanliness of Gilbert 44% 50% 6% 0% 100% Overall quality of new development in Gilbert 40% 49% 10% 2% 100% Variety of housing options 36% 43% 19% 2% 100% Overall quality of business and service establishments in Gilbert 29% 53% 14% 3% 100% Shopping opportunities 39% 41% 19% 1% 100% Opportunities to attend cultural activities 16% 33% 44% 7% 100% Recreational opportunities 28% 43% 25% 4% 100% Employment opportunities 16% 29% 39% 15% 100% Educational opportunities 26% 42% 29% 3% 100% Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 23% 41% 30% 6% 100% Opportunities to participate in religious or spiritual events and activities 45% 38% 15% 2% 100% Opportunities to volunteer 34% 37% 28% 2% 100% Opportunities to participate in community matters 29% 39% 26% 6% 100% Ease of car travel in Gilbert 32% 47% 16% 4% 100% Ease of bus travel in Gilbert 13% 27% 27% 33% 100% Ease of bicycle travel in Gilbert 31% 43% 22% 4% 100% Ease of walking in Gilbert 33% 47% 17% 3% 100% Availability of paths and walking trails 32% 49% 16% 3% 100% Question 2: Community Characteristics The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Gilbert as a whole: The National Citizen Survey™ 54 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 2: Community Characteristics Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Gilbert as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total Traffic flow on major streets 13% 58% 22% 7% 100% Availability of affordable quality housing 24% 53% 20% 3% 100% Availability of affordable quality child care 11% 44% 32% 12% 100% Availability of affordable quality health care 19% 52% 24% 5% 100% Availability of affordable quality food 33% 46% 20% 2% 100% Availability of preventive health services 24% 51% 22% 3% 100% Air quality 12% 53% 29% 6% 100% Quality of overall natural environment in Gilbert 24% 61% 14% 2% 100% Overall image or reputation of Gilbert 41% 51% 8% 1% 100% Question 3: Growth Please rate the speed of growth in the following categories in Gilbert over the past 2 years: Much too slow Somewhat too slow Right amount Somewhat too fast Much too fast Total Population growth 1% 1% 57% 34% 6% 100% Retail growth (stores, restaurants, etc.) 2% 24% 66% 7% 1% 100% Jobs growth 16% 54% 30% 0% 0% 100% Question 4: Code Enforcement The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. To what degree, if at all, are run down buildings, weed lots or junk vehicles a problem in Gilbert? Percent of respondents Not a problem 21% Minor problem 56% Moderate problem 21% Major problem 3% Total 100% Question 5: Community Safety Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel from the following in Gilbert: Very safe Somewhat safe Neither safe nor unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Total Violent crime (e.g., rape, assault, robbery) 52% 39% 7% 2% 0% 100% Property crimes (e.g., burglary, theft) 32% 46% 15% 5% 1% 100% Environmental hazards, including toxic waste 61% 30% 7% 1% 0% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 55 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 6: Personal Safety Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel: Very safe Somewhat safe Neither safe nor unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Total In your neighborhood during the day 75% 20% 2% 1% 2% 100% In your neighborhood after dark 50% 40% 4% 5% 1% 100% In Gilbert's Heritage District area during the day 63% 29% 5% 1% 2% 100% In Gilbert's Heritage District area after dark 38% 38% 17% 6% 1% 100% Question 7: Contact with Police Department Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Police Department within the last 12 months? Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Police Department within the last 12 months? No Yes Total 67% 33% 100% Question 8: Ratings of Contact with Police Department What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department? Excellent Good Fair Poor Total 47% 38% 6% 9% 100% What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department? Question 9: Crime Victim The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. During the past 12 months, were you or anyone in your household the victim of any crime? Percent of respondents No 93% Yes 7% Total 100% Question 10: Crime Reporting If yes, was this crime (these crimes) reported to the police? No Percent of respondents 10% Yes 90% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 56 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 11: Resident Behaviors In the last 12 months, about how many times, if ever, have you or other household members participated in the following activities in Gilbert? Never Once or twice 3 to 12 times 13 to 26 times More than 26 times Total Used Gilbert public libraries or their services 30% 27% 26% 11% 7% 100% Used Gilbert recreation centers 41% 28% 22% 6% 3% 100% Participated in a recreation program or activity 55% 23% 14% 5% 3% 100% Visited a neighborhood park or Town park 11% 20% 36% 16% 18% 100% Ridden a local bus within Gilbert 95% 2% 3% 0% 0% 100% Attended a meeting of local elected officials or other local public meeting 85% 12% 2% 1% 0% 100% Watched a meeting of local elected officials or other Town-sponsored public meeting on cable television, the Internet or other media 74% 20% 5% 1% 0% 100% Visited the Town of Gilbert Web site (at www.gilbertaz.gov) 27% 28% 33% 9% 3% 100% Recycled used paper, cans or bottles from your home 6% 1% 12% 10% 71% 100% Volunteered your time to some group or activity in Gilbert 58% 16% 9% 4% 13% 100% Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Gilbert 41% 9% 8% 8% 34% 100% Participated in a club or civic group in Gilbert 73% 12% 10% 2% 3% 100% Provided help to a friend or neighbor 4% 21% 40% 15% 20% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Question 12: Neighborliness About how often, if at all, do you talk to or visit with your immediate neighbors (people who live in the 10 or 20 households that are closest to you)? Percent of respondents Just about everyday 18% Several times a week 30% Several times a month 23% Less than several times a month 29% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 57 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 13: Service Quality The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Gilbert: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total Police services 42% 50% 5% 3% 100% Fire services 55% 42% 3% 0% 100% Ambulance or emergency medical services 51% 42% 7% 0% 100% Crime prevention 33% 52% 14% 1% 100% Fire prevention and education 44% 46% 9% 1% 100% Municipal courts 27% 45% 23% 5% 100% Traffic enforcement 24% 55% 16% 5% 100% Street repair 23% 49% 19% 9% 100% Street cleaning 36% 50% 10% 4% 100% Street lighting 29% 54% 15% 2% 100% Sidewalk maintenance 26% 57% 15% 1% 100% Traffic signal timing 23% 46% 25% 7% 100% Bus or transit services 21% 35% 23% 21% 100% Garbage collection 52% 44% 3% 0% 100% Recycling 53% 41% 5% 1% 100% Yard waste pick-up 50% 44% 4% 1% 100% Storm drainage 34% 48% 14% 4% 100% Drinking water 14% 35% 31% 20% 100% Sewer services 29% 62% 8% 0% 100% Town parks 45% 48% 7% 0% 100% Recreation programs or classes 36% 55% 8% 1% 100% Recreation centers or facilities 30% 59% 10% 1% 100% Land use, planning and zoning 17% 53% 25% 5% 100% Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 15% 44% 32% 9% 100% Animal control 26% 53% 13% 7% 100% Economic development 18% 48% 29% 5% 100% Services to seniors 22% 48% 21% 8% 100% Services to youth 24% 47% 24% 6% 100% Services to low-income people 25% 47% 20% 7% 100% Public library services 38% 52% 10% 1% 100% Public information services 23% 56% 18% 2% 100% Public schools 35% 48% 14% 3% 100% Cable television 18% 46% 26% 9% 100% Emergency preparedness (services that prepare the community for natural disasters or other emergency situations) 25% 39% 24% 12% 100% Preservation of natural areas such as open space, farmlands and greenbelts 25% 45% 23% 7% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 58 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 14: Government Services Overall Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services provided by each of the following? Excellent Good Fair Poor Total The Town of Gilbert 37% 53% 9% 1% 100% The Federal Government 9% 32% 31% 27% 100% The State Government 11% 41% 36% 11% 100% Maricopa County Government 12% 48% 31% 9% 100% Question 15: Recommendation and Longevity Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do each of the following: Very likely Somewhat likely Somewhat unlikely Very unlikely Total Recommend living in Gilbert to someone who asks 75% 21% 3% 1% 100% Remain in Gilbert for the next five years 76% 17% 4% 3% 100% Question 16: Impact of the Economy What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Do you think the impact will be: Percent of respondents Very positive 9% Somewhat positive 25% Neutral 47% Somewhat negative 16% Very negative 2% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Question 17: Contact with Fire Department Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Fire Department within the last 12 months? Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Fire Department within the last 12 months? No Yes Total 84% 16% 100% Question 18: Ratings of Contact with Fire Department What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department? What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department? Excellent Good Fair Poor Total 70% 28% 2% 0% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 59 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 19: Contact with Town Employees Have you had any in-person, phone or email with an employee of the Town of Gilbert within the last 12 months (including police, receptionists, planners or any others)? Percent of respondents No 59% Yes 41% Total 100% Question 20: Town Employees What was your impression of the employee(s) of the Town of Gilbert in your most recent contact? Excellent Good Fair Poor Total Knowledge 51% 39% 9% 2% 100% Responsiveness 54% 33% 8% 4% 100% Courtesy 60% 32% 6% 2% 100% Overall impression 50% 38% 9% 3% 100% Excellent Good Fair Poor Total The value of services for the taxes paid to Gilbert 22% 55% 20% 2% 100% The overall direction that Gilbert is taking 23% 58% 16% 3% 100% The job Gilbert government does at welcoming citizen involvement 21% 51% 23% 6% 100% Question 21: Government Performance Please rate the following categories of Gilbert government performance: The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Question 22a: Custom Question 1 Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel from the following driving conditions on roadways in Gilbert: Very safe Somewhat safe Neither safe or unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Total Speed 37% 43% 12% 7% 2% 100% Aggressive driving 21% 42% 16% 15% 6% 100% Driving Under the Influence (DUI) 24% 38% 20% 9% 9% 100% Question 22b: Custom Question 2 How safe or unsafe do you feel driving on the roadways in Gilbert? Percent of respondents Very safe 42% Somewhat safe 45% Neither safe or unsafe 7% Somewhat unsafe 4% Very unsafe 2% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 60 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 22c: Custom Question 3 To what extent do you support or oppose the Town of Gilbert financially contributing to non-profit organizations that address the needs of seniors, children and the working poor? Percent of respondents Strongly support 33% Somewhat support 52% Somewhat oppose 10% Strongly oppose 5% Total 100% Question 22d: Custom Question 4 Do you use social media to learn about community news or town events (such as festivals, concerts, races and contests)? Yes Percent of respondents 54% No 46% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Question 22e: Custom Question 5 If it became necessary to raise additional money in order to fund improved parks and recreation facilities and programs in Gilbert, to what degree would you support or oppose each of the following options that Gilbert could consider? Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Total Spending a larger share of the Gilbert General Fund budget on parks and recreation 20% 52% 20% 7% 100% Increasing the fees that people pay to use Gilbert recreational facilities and programs 12% 39% 32% 16% 100% Increasing Gilbert's sales tax to pay for parks and recreation improvements 5% 24% 32% 39% 100% Increasing Gilbert's bed tax which is charged on all hotel and motel rooms 16% 41% 28% 15% 100% Creating a special tax only for recreational facilities and programs 7% 15% 41% 37% 100% Establishing a Gilbert primary property tax to fund recreation facilities and programs 5% 17% 31% 47% 100% Establishing additional fees for some types of recreation programs or the use of some types of recreation facilities 11% 41% 32% 17% 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 61 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D1: Employment Status Are you currently employed for pay? Percent of respondents No 24% Yes, full-time 67% Yes, part-time 9% Total 100% Question D2: Mode of Transportation Used for Commute During a typical week, how many days do you commute to work (for the longest distance of your commute) in each of the ways listed below? Percent of days mode used Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) by myself 74% Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) with other children or adults 12% Bus, rail, subway or other public transportation 0% Walk 1% Bicycle 0% Work at home 12% Other 0% Question D3: Length of Residency The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. How many years have you lived in Gilbert? Percent of respondents Less than 2 years 22% 2 to 5 years 24% 6 to 10 years 20% 11 to 20 years 26% More than 20 years 7% Total 100% Question D4: Housing Unit Type Which best describes the building you live in? Percent of respondents One family house detached from any other houses 88% House attached to one or more houses (e.g., a duplex or townhome) 1% Building with two or more apartments or condominiums 10% Mobile home 0% Other 1% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 62 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D5: Housing Tenure (Rent/Own) Is this house, apartment or mobile home… Percent of respondents Rented for cash or occupied without cash payment 23% Owned by you or someone in this house with a mortgage or free and clear 77% Total 100% Question D6: Monthly Housing Cost About how much is the monthly housing cost for the place you live (including rent, mortgage payment, property tax, property insurance and homeowners" association (HOA) fees)? Percent of respondents Less than $300 per month 3% $300 to $599 per month 6% $600 to $999 per month 19% $1,000 to $1,499 per month 39% $1,500 to $2,499 per month 31% $2,500 or more per month 3% Total 100% Question D7: Presence of Children in Household Do any children 17 or under live in your household? Percent of respondents No 49% Yes 51% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Question D8: Presence of Older Adults in Household Are you or any other members of your household aged 65 or older? Percent of respondents No 84% Yes 16% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 63 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D9: Household Income How much do you anticipate your household's total income before taxes will be for the current year? (Please include in your total income money from all sources for all persons living in your household.) Percent of respondents Less than $24,999 5% $25,000 to $49,999 13% $50,000 to $99,999 40% $100,000 to $149,999 26% $150,000 or more 15% Total 100% Question D10: Ethnicity Are you Spanish, Hispanic or Latino? Percent of respondents No, not Spanish, Hispanic or Latino 89% Yes, I consider myself to be Spanish, Hispanic or Latino 11% Total 100% Question D11: Race What is your race? (Mark one or more races to indicate what race(s) you consider yourself to be.) Percent of respondents American Indian or Alaskan Native 2% Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander 7% Black or African American 3% White 87% Other 5% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Total may exceed 100% as respondents could select more than one option Question D12: Age In which category is your age? Percent of respondents 18 to 24 years 1% 25 to 34 years 30% 35 to 44 years 23% 45 to 54 years 23% 55 to 64 years 10% 65 to 74 years 9% 75 years or older 4% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 64 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D13: Gender What is your sex? Percent of respondents Female 53% Male 47% Total 100% Question D14: Registered to Vote Are you registered to vote in your jurisdiction? Percent of respondents No 11% Yes 88% Ineligible to vote 1% Total 100% Question D15: Voted in Last General Election Many people don't have time to vote in elections. Did you vote in the last general election? Percent of respondents No 21% Yes 77% Ineligible to vote 2% Total 100% Question D16: Has Cell Phone The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Do you have a cell phone? Percent of respondents No 2% Yes 98% Total 100% Question D17: Has Land Line Do you have a land line at home? Percent of respondents No 45% Yes 55% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ 65 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D18: Primary Phone If you have both a cell phone and a land line, which do you consider your primary telephone number? Percent of respondents 47% Land line 38% Both 15% Total 100% The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Cell The National Citizen Survey™ 66 Town of Gilbert | 2013 FREQUENCIES INCLUDING “DON’T KNOW” RESPONSES These tables contain the percentage of respondents for each response category as well as the “n” or total number of respondents for each category, next to the percentage. Question 1: Quality of Life Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of life in Gilbert: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Gilbert as a place to live 61% 163 37% 97 1% 4 0% 1 0% Your neighborhood as a place to live 56% 149 36% 95 7% 20 1% 2 Gilbert as a place to raise children 54% 142 36% 95 3% 9 0% 1 Gilbert as a place to work 25% 66 26% 70 15% 39 7% Gilbert as a place to retire 32% 84 31% 82 13% 34 The overall quality of life in Gilbert 51% 136 44% 118 4% 9 Total 1 100% 265 0% 0 100% 266 6% 16 100% 264 19 27% 70 100% 265 2% 4 23% 62 100% 265 1% 2 0% 0 100% 265 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Question 2: Community Characteristics Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Gilbert as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Don't know Poor Total Sense of community 29% 75 48% 125 19% 49 2% 7 2% 5 100% 261 Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds 24% 62 47% 123 18% 46 4% 11 8% 20 100% 262 Overall appearance of Gilbert 47% 121 44% 115 9% 23 0% 1 0% 0 100% 260 Cleanliness of Gilbert 44% 117 50% 131 6% 15 0% 1 0% 0 100% 264 Overall quality of new development in Gilbert 38% 100 47% 123 9% 24 2% 4 4% 11 100% 263 Variety of housing options 34% 89 41% 108 18% 48 2% 5 5% 13 100% 264 Overall quality of business and service establishments in Gilbert 29% 76 53% 138 14% 36 3% 8 1% 4 100% 263 Shopping opportunities 39% 102 41% 106 19% 49 1% 3 0% 0 100% 260 Opportunities to attend cultural activities 14% 36 29% 76 39% 102 6% 16 12% 31 100% 261 Recreational opportunities 26% 69 41% 106 24% 62 4% 10 5% 14 100% 262 Employment opportunities 11% 29 20% 53 27% 72 11% 28 31% 81 100% 262 Educational opportunities 22% 56 36% 93 24% 63 2% 6 16% 40 100% 258 The National Citizen Survey™ 67 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 2: Community Characteristics The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Gilbert as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Don't know Poor Total Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 20% 53 37% 97 28% 72 6% 15 9% 25 100% 261 Opportunities to participate in religious or spiritual events and activities 38% 101 32% 83 13% 34 2% 4 15% 40 100% 262 Opportunities to volunteer 26% 67 28% 72 21% 55 1% 3 25% 64 100% 261 Opportunities to participate in community matters 23% 59 31% 80 20% 53 5% 12 22% 57 100% 259 Ease of car travel in Gilbert 32% 84 47% 123 16% 41 4% 11 1% 2 100% 262 Ease of bus travel in Gilbert 6% 15 12% 31 12% 30 14% 36 57% 146 100% 258 Ease of bicycle travel in Gilbert 23% 60 31% 82 16% 43 3% 7 27% 70 100% 261 Ease of walking in Gilbert 32% 84 45% 118 16% 42 3% 9 4% 10 100% 262 Availability of paths and walking trails 31% 82 47% 123 15% 39 3% 8 4% 10 100% 261 Traffic flow on major streets 13% 34 58% 152 22% 58 6% 17 0% 1 100% 263 Availability of affordable quality housing 22% 58 50% 130 19% 49 3% 7 6% 16 100% 260 Availability of affordable quality child care 5% 13 20% 52 15% 38 5% 14 55% 140 100% 257 Availability of affordable quality health care 16% 40 43% 109 20% 51 4% 10 17% 42 100% 252 Availability of affordable quality food 33% 85 45% 118 20% 51 2% 5 0% 1 100% 260 Availability of preventive health services 21% 54 43% 112 19% 48 2% 6 15% 39 100% 258 Air quality 12% 30 52% 138 28% 75 6% 17 2% 4 100% 263 Quality of overall natural environment in Gilbert 24% 61 60% 157 14% 36 2% 4 1% 2 100% 261 Overall image or reputation of Gilbert 40% 106 50% 132 7% 20 1% 2 1% 3 100% 263 Question 3: Growth Please rate the speed of growth in the following categories in Gilbert over the past 2 years: Much too slow Somewhat too slow Population growth 1% 2 1% 3 51% Retail growth (stores, restaurants, etc.) 2% 6 23% 60 Jobs growth 9% 24 31% 81 Right amount Somewhat too fast Much too fast 134 30% 79 6% 15 11% 29 100% 263 62% 162 7% 17 1% 1 6% 15 100% 262 17% 45 0% 0 0% 0 42% 110 100% 261 The National Citizen Survey™ 68 Don't know Total Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 4: Code Enforcement To what degree, if at all, are run down buildings, weed lots or junk vehicles a problem in Gilbert? Percent of respondents Count Not a problem 19% 51 Minor problem 52% 136 Moderate problem 19% 50 Major problem 2% 6 Don't know 8% 20 100% 263 Total Question 5: Community Safety The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel from the following in Gilbert: Somewhat safe Very safe Neither safe nor unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Don't know Total Violent crime (e.g., rape, assault, robbery) 51% 135 38% 102 7% 19 2% 4 0% 1 2% 4 100% 265 Property crimes (e.g., burglary, theft) 32% 84 45% 120 15% 39 5% 14 1% 2 2% 6 100% 265 Environmental hazards, including toxic waste 55% 145 27% 71 7% 17 1% 2 0% 1 11% 29 100% 265 Question 6: Personal Safety Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel: Very safe Somewhat safe Neither safe nor unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Don't know Total In your neighborhood during the day 75% 200 20% 52 2% 6 1% 3 2% 4 0% 1 100% 266 In your neighborhood after dark 50% 131 40% 106 4% 10 5% 14 1% 2 1% 2 100% 265 In Gilbert's Heritage District area during the day 41% 109 19% 52 3% 8 1% 2 2% 4 34% 90 100% 265 In Gilbert's Heritage District area after dark 22% 60 23% 60 10% 27 4% 10 0% 1 41% 108 100% 265 The National Citizen Survey™ 69 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 7: Contact with Police Department Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Police Department within the last 12 months? No Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Police Department within the last 12 months? 67% Don't know Yes 176 33% 86 1% Total 2 100% 263 Question 8: Ratings of Contact with Police Department What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department? Excellent What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department? 46% 39 Good 37% 31 Fair 6% Don't know Poor 5 9% 8 1% Total 1 100% 85 Question 9: Crime Victim During the past 12 months, were you or anyone in your household the victim of any crime? The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Percent of respondents Count No 92% 244 Yes 7% 19 Don't know 0% 1 100% 264 Total Question 10: Crime Reporting If yes, was this crime (these crimes) reported to the police? Percent of respondents Count No 10% 2 Yes 90% 17 Don't know 0% 0 100% 19 Total The National Citizen Survey™ 70 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 11: Resident Behaviors The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. In the last 12 months, about how many times, if ever, have you or other household members participated in the following activities in Gilbert? Once or twice Never 3 to 12 times 13 to 26 times More than 26 times Total Used Gilbert public libraries or their services 30% 78 27% 70 26% 68 11% 28 7% 19 100% 265 Used Gilbert recreation centers 41% 108 28% 74 22% 59 6% 16 3% 7 100% 263 Participated in a recreation program or activity 55% 145 23% 60 14% 36 5% 14 3% 9 100% 264 Visited a neighborhood park or Town park 11% 28 20% 53 36% 94 16% 41 18% 46 100% 263 Ridden a local bus within Gilbert 95% 244 2% 6 3% 7 0% 0 0% 0 100% 258 Attended a meeting of local elected officials or other local public meeting 85% 226 12% 33 2% 5 1% 2 0% 0 100% 266 Watched a meeting of local elected officials or other Townsponsored public meeting on cable television, the Internet or other media 74% 195 20% 53 5% 14 1% 3 0% 0 100% 264 Visited the Town of Gilbert Web site (at www.gilbertaz.gov) 27% 72 28% 74 33% 86 9% 23 3% 7 100% 263 Recycled used paper, cans or bottles from your home 6% 15 1% 3 12% 31 10% 27 71% 189 100% 265 Volunteered your time to some group or activity in Gilbert 58% 154 16% 42 9% 24 4% 10 13% 33 100% 263 Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Gilbert 41% 106 9% 25 8% 22 8% 20 34% 89 100% 261 Participated in a club or civic group in Gilbert 73% 191 12% 31 10% 26 2% 6 3% 9 100% 264 Provided help to a friend or neighbor 4% 10 21% 56 40% 106 15% 41 20% 53 100% 265 Question 12: Neighborliness About how often, if at all, do you talk to or visit with your immediate neighbors (people who live in the 10 or 20 households that are closest to you)? Percent of respondents Count Just about everyday 18% 48 Several times a week 30% 80 Several times a month 23% 60 Less than several times a month 29% 77 Total 100% 264 The National Citizen Survey™ 71 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 13: Service Quality The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Gilbert: Excellent Good Fair Don't know Poor Total Police services 35% 91 41% 107 4% 11 3% 7 17% 43 100% 260 Fire services 40% 103 30% 79 2% 6 0% 0 27% 71 100% 259 Ambulance or emergency medical services 33% 86 27% 70 5% 12 0% 0 35% 91 100% 259 Crime prevention 25% 65 39% 101 10% 26 1% 2 25% 64 100% 258 Fire prevention and education 26% 67 28% 71 5% 13 0% 1 40% 103 100% 255 Municipal courts 12% 32 20% 51 10% 26 2% 6 55% 143 100% 258 Traffic enforcement 21% 53 48% 125 14% 36 4% 11 13% 33 100% 258 Street repair 22% 56 46% 119 18% 46 9% 23 5% 14 100% 257 Street cleaning 35% 89 47% 122 10% 25 4% 10 5% 13 100% 258 Street lighting 28% 73 52% 134 14% 36 2% 5 4% 10 100% 258 Sidewalk maintenance 24% 63 53% 137 14% 36 1% 3 8% 19 100% 259 Traffic signal timing 21% 56 44% 112 23% 60 7% 17 5% 13 100% 259 Bus or transit services 6% 16 11% 28 7% 18 7% 17 69% 177 100% 257 Garbage collection 51% 131 43% 110 3% 9 0% 1 2% 4 100% 256 Recycling 53% 137 41% 106 5% 13 1% 1 1% 2 100% 259 Yard waste pick-up 45% 116 40% 103 4% 10 1% 3 10% 26 100% 258 Storm drainage 29% 74 40% 104 12% 30 3% 9 16% 40 100% 258 Drinking water 13% 33 33% 85 29% 74 19% 48 7% 18 100% 258 Sewer services 26% 66 54% 139 7% 18 0% 1 13% 33 100% 257 Town parks 42% 107 45% 114 7% 18 0% 1 6% 16 100% 256 Recreation programs or classes 21% 54 32% 83 5% 13 1% 2 41% 106 100% 258 Recreation centers or facilities 20% 52 40% 102 7% 17 0% 1 33% 85 100% 257 Land use, planning and zoning 12% 30 36% 93 17% 43 4% 9 32% 81 100% 256 Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 12% 31 34% 89 25% 65 7% 18 22% 56 100% 258 Animal control 18% 45 36% 92 9% 23 5% 12 32% 83 100% 256 Economic development 13% 32 34% 88 20% 53 4% 9 29% 76 100% 258 The National Citizen Survey™ 72 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 13: Service Quality Good Fair Don't know Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Gilbert: Excellent Poor Total Services to seniors 7% 18 15% 38 6% 17 3% 6 70% 180 100% 259 Services to youth 11% 29 23% 58 11% 29 3% 7 52% 134 100% 258 Services to low-income people 6% 16 11% 29 5% 13 2% 4 76% 196 100% 258 Public library services 31% 79 41% 106 8% 20 0% 1 20% 51 100% 257 Public information services 15% 39 37% 95 12% 31 1% 3 34% 89 100% 257 Public schools 26% 68 36% 93 10% 27 3% 7 25% 63 100% 257 Cable television 13% 34 34% 86 19% 48 7% 17 28% 71 100% 257 Emergency preparedness (services that prepare the community for natural disasters or other emergency situations) 11% 28 17% 42 10% 26 5% 13 57% 144 100% 253 Preservation of natural areas such as open space, farmlands and greenbelts 22% 56 40% 101 20% 52 6% 15 12% 30 100% 255 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Question 14: Government Services Overall Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services provided by each of the following? Excellent The Town of Gilbert 36% 92 50% 130 9% 22 1% 2 4% 11 100% 258 The Federal Government 8% 20 28% 72 27% 69 23% 59 14% 37 100% 257 The State Government 10% 25 37% 94 32% 83 10% 26 12% 30 100% 257 Maricopa County Government 9% 24 38% 99 25% 65 7% 19 20% 51 100% 257 Good Fair Don't know Poor Total Question 15: Recommendation and Longevity Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do each of the following: Very likely Somewhat likely Somewhat unlikely Very unlikely Don't know Total Recommend living in Gilbert to someone who asks 75% 196 21% 55 2% 6 1% 2 0% 1 100% 260 Remain in Gilbert for the next five years 74% 191 17% 43 4% 9 3% 9 2% 6 100% 259 The National Citizen Survey™ 73 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 16: Impact of the Economy What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Do you think the impact will be: Percent of respondents Count Very positive 9% 23 Somewhat positive 25% 66 Neutral 47% 123 Somewhat negative 16% 42 Very negative 2% 6 100% 259 Total Question 17: Contact with Fire Department The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Fire Department within the last 12 months? No Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Fire Department within the last 12 months? 84% Don't know Yes 221 16% 42 0% Total 1 100% 264 Question 18: Ratings of Contact with Fire Department What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department? Excellent What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department? 70% 29 Good 28% 12 Fair 2% Don't know Poor 1 0% 0 0% Total 0 100% 42 Question 19: Contact with City Employees Have you had any in-person, phone or email with an employee of the Town of Gilbert within the last 12 months (including police, receptionists, planners or any others)? Percent of respondents Count 59% 155 Yes 41% 107 Total 100% 262 No The National Citizen Survey™ 74 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 20: City Employees What was your impression of the employee(s) of the City of Gilbert in your most recent contact? Excellent Knowledge 50% 54 39% 41 9% 9 2% 2 1% 1 100% 107 Responsiveness 54% 58 33% 36 8% 9 4% 5 0% 0 100% 107 Courtesy 59% 63 32% 34 6% 6 2% 2 1% 1 100% 107 Overall impression 50% 54 38% 41 9% 9 3% 3 0% 0 100% 107 Good Fair Don't know Poor Total Question 21: Government Performance The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Please rate the following categories of Gilbert government performance: Excellent Good Fair Don't know Poor Total The value of services for the taxes paid to Gilbert 19% 51 49% 129 18% 48 2% 5 11% 30 100% 263 The overall direction that Gilbert is taking 21% 56 55% 143 15% 40 3% 9 5% 14 100% 263 The job Gilbert government does at welcoming citizen involvement 15% 40 37% 98 17% 44 4% 12 26% 69 100% 262 Question 22a: Custom Question 1 Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel from the following driving conditions on roadways in Gilbert: Very safe Speed 37% 98 43% Aggressive driving 21% 55 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) 21% 56 Somewhat safe Neither safe or unsafe Somewhat unsafe 114 12% 31 7% 17 2% 5 41% 109 16% 42 15% 40 6% 16 35% 91 18% 49 8% 21 8% 21 The National Citizen Survey™ 75 Very unsafe Don't know 0% Total 0 100% 266 1% 4 100% 266 10% 27 100% 264 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 22b: Custom Question 2 How safe or unsafe do you feel driving on the roadways in Gilbert? Percent of respondents Count Very safe 42% 111 Somewhat safe 44% 118 Neither safe or unsafe 7% 20 Somewhat unsafe 4% 12 Very unsafe 2% 5 Don't know Total 1% 1 100% 266 Question 22c: Custom Question 3 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. To what extent do you support or oppose the Town of Gilbert financially contributing to non-profit organizations that address the needs of seniors, children and the working poor? Percent of respondents Count Strongly support 30% 78 Somewhat support 46% 122 Somewhat oppose 9% 23 Strongly oppose 4% 11 Don't know 11% 29 Total 100% 263 Question 22d: Custom Question 4 Do you use social media to learn about community news or town events (such as festivals, concerts, races and contests)? Percent of respondents Count Yes 52% 138 No 44% 116 Don't know 4% 12 100% 265 Total The National Citizen Survey™ 76 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question 22e: Custom Question 5 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. If it became necessary to raise additional money in order to fund improved parks and recreation facilities and programs in Gilbert, to what degree would you support or oppose each of the following options that Gilbert could consider? Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Don't know Total Spending a larger share of the Gilbert General Fund budget on parks and recreation 18% 48 48% 125 19% 49 7% 17 9% 23 100% 262 Increasing the fees that people pay to use Gilbert recreational facilities and programs 11% 30 37% 97 30% 79 15% 40 7% 18 100% 264 Increasing Gilbert's sales tax to pay for parks and recreation improvements 5% 13 23% 59 31% 82 37% 98 4% 11 100% 263 Increasing Gilbert's bed tax which is charged on all hotel and motel rooms 14% 38 38% 100 26% 68 14% 36 8% 20 100% 263 Creating a special tax only for recreational facilities and programs 7% 17 13% 35 38% 99 34% 88 9% 23 100% 261 Establishing a Gilbert primary property tax to fund recreation facilities and programs 4% 12 16% 42 28% 75 44% 115 8% 20 100% 264 Establishing additional fees for some types of recreation programs or the use of some types of recreation facilities 10% 26 38% 100 29% 77 16% 41 7% 20 100% 264 Question D1: Employment Status Percent of respondents Count No Are you currently employed for pay? 24% 63 Yes, full-time 67% 177 Yes, part-time 9% 24 100% 263 Total The National Citizen Survey™ 77 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D2: Mode of Transportation Used for Commute During a typical week, how many days do you commute to work (for the longest distance of your commute) in each of the ways listed below? Percent of days mode used Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) by myself 74% Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) with other children or adults 12% Bus, rail, subway or other public transportation 0% Walk 1% Bicycle 0% Work at home 12% Other 0% Question D3: Length of Residency How many years have you lived in Gilbert? The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Percent of respondents Count Less than 2 years 22% 59 2 to 5 years 24% 64 6 to 10 years 20% 54 11 to 20 years 26% 69 More than 20 years 7% 20 100% 266 Total Question D4: Housing Unit Type Which best describes the building you live in? One family house detached from any other houses Percent of respondents Count 88% 233 House attached to one or more houses (e.g., a duplex or townhome) 1% 4 Building with two or more apartments or condominiums 10% 26 Mobile home 0% 0 Other 1% 2 Total 100% 265 The National Citizen Survey™ 78 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D5: Housing Tenure (Rent/Own) Is this house, apartment or mobile home… Percent of respondents Count Rented for cash or occupied without cash payment 23% 60 Owned by you or someone in this house with a mortgage or free and clear 77% 200 Total 100% 260 Question D6: Monthly Housing Cost The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. About how much is the monthly housing cost for the place you live (including rent, mortgage payment, property tax, property insurance and homeowners" association (HOA) fees)? Percent of respondents Count Less than $300 per month 3% 7 $300 to $599 per month 6% 16 $600 to $999 per month 19% 48 $1,000 to $1,499 per month 39% 101 $1,500 to $2,499 per month 31% 81 $2,500 or more per month 3% 7 100% 260 Total Question D7: Presence of Children in Household Do any children 17 or under live in your household? Percent of respondents Count No 49% 129 Yes 51% 136 Total 100% 265 The National Citizen Survey™ 79 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D8: Presence of Older Adults in Household Are you or any other members of your household aged 65 or older? Percent of respondents Count No 84% 223 Yes 16% 43 Total 100% 265 Question D9: Household Income The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. How much do you anticipate your household's total income before taxes will be for the current year? (Please include in your total income money from all sources for all persons living in your household.) Percent of respondents Count Less than $24,999 5% 13 $25,000 to $49,999 13% 32 $50,000 to $99,999 40% 101 $100,000 to $149,999 26% 66 $150,000 or more 15% 38 Total 100% 249 Question D10: Ethnicity Percent of respondents Count No, not Spanish, Hispanic or Latino Are you Spanish, Hispanic or Latino? 89% 235 Yes, I consider myself to be Spanish, Hispanic or Latino 11% 28 Total 100% 263 The National Citizen Survey™ 80 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D11: Race What is your race? (Mark one or more races to indicate what race(s) you consider yourself to be.) Percent of respondents Count American Indian or Alaskan Native 2% 5 Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander 7% 19 Black or African American 3% 7 White 87% 224 Other 5% 12 Total may exceed 100% as respondents could select more than one option Question D12: Age The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. In which category is your age? Percent of respondents Count 18 to 24 years 1% 3 25 to 34 years 30% 80 35 to 44 years 23% 62 45 to 54 years 23% 60 55 to 64 years 10% 26 65 to 74 years 9% 25 75 years or older 4% 9 100% 265 Total Question D13: Gender What is your sex? Percent of respondents Count Female 53% 140 Male 47% 125 Total 100% 265 The National Citizen Survey™ 81 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D14: Registered to Vote Are you registered to vote in your jurisdiction? Percent of respondents Count No 10% 27 Yes 85% 226 Ineligible to vote 1% 3 Don't know 3% 9 100% 265 Total Question D15: Voted in Last General Election The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Many people don't have time to vote in elections. Did you vote in the last general election? Percent of respondents Count No 21% 55 Yes 77% 204 Ineligible to vote 2% 5 Don't know 1% 1 100% 266 Total Question D16: Has Cell Phone Do you have a cell phone? Percent of respondents Count No 2% 5 Yes 98% 260 Total 100% 265 Question D17: Has Land Line Do you have a land line at home? Percent of respondents Count No 45% 119 Yes 55% 146 Total 100% 265 The National Citizen Survey™ 82 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Question D18: Primary Phone Percent of respondents Count Cell 47% 68 Land line 38% 55 Both 15% 21 Total 100% 144 The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. If you have both a cell phone and a land line, which do you consider your primary telephone number? The National Citizen Survey™ 83 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Appendix B: Survey Methodology The National Citizen Survey™ (The NCS™) was developed to provide local jurisdictions an accurate, affordable and easy way to assess and interpret resident opinion about important community issues. While standardization of question wording and survey methods provide the rigor to assure valid results, each jurisdiction has enough flexibility to construct a customized version of The NCS™ that asks residents about key local services and important local issues. Results offer insight into residents’ perspectives about local government performance and as such provide important benchmarks for jurisdictions working on performance measurement. The NCS™ is designed to help with budget, land use and strategic planning as well as to communicate with local residents. The NCS™ permits questions to test support for local policies and answers to its questions also speak to community trust and involvement in community-building activities as well as to resident demographic characteristics. SURVEY VALIDITY The question of survey validity has two parts: 1) how can a jurisdiction be confident that the results from those who completed the questionnaire are representative of the results that would have been obtained had the survey been administered to the entire population? and 2) how closely do the perspectives recorded on the survey reflect what residents really believe or do? To answer the first question, the best survey research practices were used for the resources spent to ensure that the results from the survey respondents reflect the opinions of residents in the entire jurisdiction. These practices include: Using a mail-out/mail-back methodology, which typically gets a higher response rate than phone for the same dollars spent. A higher response rate lessens the worry that those who did not respond are different than those who did respond.  Selecting households at random within the jurisdiction to receive the survey. A random selection ensures that the households selected to receive the survey are similar to the entire population. A non-random sample may only include households from one geographic area, or from households of only one type.  Over-sampling multi-family housing units to improve response from hard-to-reach, lower income, or younger apartment dwellers.  Selecting the respondent within the household using an unbiased sampling procedure; in this case, the “birthday method.” The cover letter included an instruction requesting that the respondent in the household be the adult (18 years old or older) who most recently had a birthday, irrespective of year of birth.  Contacting potential respondents three times to encourage response from people who may have different opinions or habits than those who would respond with only a single prompt.  Soliciting response on jurisdiction letterhead signed by the highest ranking elected official or staff member, thus appealing to the recipients’ sense of civic responsibility.  Providing a self-addressed, postage-paid return envelope.  Offering the survey in Spanish when appropriate and requested by Town officials.  Using the most recent available information about the characteristics of jurisdiction residents to weight the data to reflect the demographics of the population. The answer to the second question about how closely the perspectives recorded on the survey reflect what residents really believe or do is more complex. Resident responses to surveys are influenced by a variety of factors. For questions about service quality, residents’ expectations for The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc.  The National Citizen Survey™ 84 Town of Gilbert | 2013 service quality play a role as well as the “objective” quality of the service provided, the way the resident perceives the entire community (that is, the context in which the service is provided), the scale on which the resident is asked to record his or her opinion and, of course, the opinion, itself, that a resident holds about the service. Similarly a resident’s report of certain behaviors is colored by what he or she believes is the socially desirable response (e.g., reporting tolerant behaviors toward “oppressed groups,” likelihood of voting a tax increase for services to poor people, use of alternative modes of travel to work besides the single occupancy vehicle), his or her memory of the actual behavior (if it is not a question speculating about future actions, like a vote), his or her confidence that he or she can be honest without suffering any negative consequences (thus the need for anonymity) as well as the actual behavior itself. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. How closely survey results come to recording the way a person really feels or behaves often is measured by the coincidence of reported behavior with observed current behavior (e.g., driving habits), reported intentions to behave with observed future behavior (e.g., voting choices) or reported opinions about current community quality with objective characteristics of the community (e.g., feelings of safety correlated with rates of crime). There is a body of scientific literature that has investigated the relationship between reported behaviors and actual behaviors. Well-conducted surveys, by and large, do capture true respondent behaviors or intentions to act with great accuracy. Predictions of voting outcomes tend to be quite accurate using survey research, as do reported behaviors that are not about highly sensitive issues (e.g., family abuse or other illegal or morally sanctioned activities). For self-reports about highly sensitive issues, statistical adjustments can be made to correct for the respondents’ tendency to report what they think the “correct” response should be. Research on the correlation of resident opinion about service quality and “objective” ratings of service quality tend to be ambiguous, some showing stronger relationships than others. NRC’s own research has demonstrated that residents who report the lowest ratings of street repair live in communities with objectively worse street conditions than those who report high ratings of street repair (based on road quality, delay in street repair, number of road repair employees). Similarly, the lowest rated fire services appear to be “objectively” worse than the highest rated fire services (expenditures per capita, response time, “professional” status of firefighters, breadth of services and training provided). Whether or not some research confirms the relationship between what residents think about a community and what can be seen “objectively” in a community, NRC has argued that resident opinion is a perspective that cannot be ignored by government administrators. NRC principals have written, “If you collect trash three times a day but residents think that your trash haul is lousy, you still have a problem.” SURVEY SAMPLING “Sampling” refers to the method by which survey recipients were chosen. All households within the Town of Gilbert were eligible to participate in the survey; 1,200 were selected to receive the survey. These 1,200 households were randomly selected from a comprehensive list of all housing units within the Town of Gilbert boundaries. The basis of the list of all housing units was a United States Postal Service listing of housing units within zip codes. Since some of the zip codes that serve the Town of Gilbert households may also serve addresses that lie outside of the jurisdiction, the exact geographic location of each housing unit was compared to jurisdiction boundaries, using the most current municipal boundary file (updated on a quarterly basis), and addresses located outside of the Town of Gilbert boundaries were removed from consideration. The National Citizen Survey™ 85 Town of Gilbert | 2013 To choose the 1,200 survey recipients, a systematic sampling method was applied to the list of households known to be within the Town of Gilbert. Systematic sampling is a procedure whereby a complete list of all possible items is culled, selecting every Nth one until the appropriate amount of items is selected. Multi-family housing units were over sampled as residents of this type of housing typically respond at lower rates to surveys than do those in single-family housing units. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. FIGURE 91: LOCATION OF SURVEY RECIPIENTS An individual within each household was selected using the birthday method. The birthday method selects a person within the household by asking the “person whose birthday has most recently passed” to complete the questionnaire. The underlying assumption in this method is that day of The National Citizen Survey™ 86 Town of Gilbert | 2013 birth has no relationship to the way people respond to surveys. This instruction was contained in the cover letter accompanying the questionnaire. In response to the growing number of the cell-phone population (so-called “cord cutters”), which includes a large proportion of young adults, questions about cell phones and land lines are included on The NCS™ questionnaire. As of the middle of 2010 (the most recent estimates available as of the end of 2010), 26.6% of U.S. households had a cell phone but no landline. 1 Among younger adults (age 18-34), 53.7% of households were “cell-only.” Based on survey results, Gilbert has a “cord cutter” population greater than the nationwide 2010 estimates FIGURE 92: PREVALENCE OF CELL-PHONE ONLY RESPONDENTS IN GILBERT Overall 44% 55+ 24% 35-54 38% 18-34 67% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Percent of respondents reporting having a "cell phone" only The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. SURVEY ADMINISTRATION Selected households received three mailings, one week apart, beginning April 2013. The first mailing was a prenotification postcard announcing the upcoming survey. The next mailing contained a letter from the Mayor inviting the household to participate, a questionnaire and a postage-paid return envelope. The final mailing contained a reminder letter, another survey and a postage-paid return envelope. The second cover letter asked those who had not completed the survey to do so and those who have already done so to refrain from turning in another survey. Completed surveys were collected over the following six weeks. SURVEY RESPONSE RATE AND CONFIDENCE INTERVALS It is customary to describe the precision of estimates made from surveys by a “level of confidence” and accompanying “confidence interval” (or margin of error). A traditional level of confidence, and the one used here, is 95%. The 95% confidence interval can be any size and quantifies the sampling error or imprecision of the survey results because some residents' opinions are relied on to estimate all residents' opinions. The confidence interval for the Town of Gilbert survey is no greater than plus or minus six percentage points around any given percent reported for the entire sample (272 completed surveys). A 95% confidence interval indicates that for every 100 random samples of this many residents, 95 of the confidence intervals created will include the “true” population response. This theory is applied in practice to mean that the “true” perspective of the target population lies within the confidence interval created for a single survey. For example, if 75% of residents rate a service as 1 http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/wireless201012.pdf The National Citizen Survey™ 87 Town of Gilbert | 2013 “excellent” or “good,” then the 4% margin of error (for the 95% confidence interval) indicates that the range of likely responses for the entire jurisdiction is between 71% and 79%. This source of error is called sampling error. In addition to sampling error, other sources of error may affect any survey, including the non-response of residents with opinions different from survey responders. Though standardized on The NCS, on other surveys, differences in question wording, order, translation and data entry, as examples, can lead to somewhat varying results. For subgroups of responses, the margin of error increases because the sample size for the subgroup is smaller. For subgroups of approximately 100 respondents, the margin of error is plus or minus 10 percentage points SURVEY PROCESSING (DATA ENTRY) Completed surveys received by NRC were assigned a unique identification number. Additionally, each survey was reviewed and “cleaned” as necessary. For example, a question may have asked a respondent to pick two items out of a list of five, but the respondent checked three; NRC staff would choose randomly two of the three selected items to be coded in the dataset. Once all surveys were assigned a unique identification number, they were entered into an electronic dataset. This dataset was subject to a data entry protocol of “key and verify,” in which survey data were entered twice into an electronic dataset and then compared. Discrepancies were evaluated against the original survey form and corrected. Range checks as well as other forms of quality control were also performed. SURVEY DATA WEIGHTING The demographic characteristics of the survey sample were compared to those found in the 2010 Census estimates and other population norms for adults in the Town of Gilbert. Sample results were weighted using the population norms to reflect the appropriate percent of those residents. Other discrepancies between the whole population and the sample were also aided by the weighting due to the intercorrelation of many socioeconomic characteristics. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. The variables used for weighting were housing tenure, housing unit type, race and ethnicity and sex and age. This decision was based on: The disparity between the survey respondent characteristics and the population norms for these variables  The saliency of these variables in detecting differences of opinion among subgroups  The importance to the community of correct ethnic representation The primary objective of weighting survey data is to make the survey sample reflective of the larger population of the community. This is done by: 1) reviewing the sample demographics and comparing them to the population norms from the most recent Census or other sources and 2) comparing the responses to different questions for demographic subgroups. The demographic characteristics that are least similar to the Census and yield the most different results are the best candidates for data weighting. A third criterion sometimes used is the importance that the community places on a specific variable. For example, if a jurisdiction feels that accurate race representation is key to staff and public acceptance of the study results, additional consideration will be given in the weighting process to adjusting the race variable.  A special software program using mathematical algorithms is used to calculate the appropriate weights. Data weighting can adjust up to five demographic variables. Several different weighting “schemes” may be tested to ensure the best fit for the data. The National Citizen Survey™ 88 Town of Gilbert | 2013 The process actually begins at the point of sampling. Knowing that residents in single family dwellings are more likely to respond to a mail survey, NRC oversamples residents of multi-family dwellings to ensure their proper representation in the sample data. Rather than giving all residents an equal chance of receiving the survey, this is systematic, stratified sampling, which gives each resident of the jurisdiction a known chance of receiving the survey (and apartment dwellers, for example, a greater chance than single family home dwellers). As a consequence, results must be weighted to recapture the proper representation of apartment dwellers. The results of the weighting scheme are presented in the table on the following page. Gilbert, AZ 2013 Citizen Survey Weighting Table Population Norm1 Unweighted Data Weighted Data Rent home 25% 14% 23% Own home 75% 86% 77% Detached unit 89% 90% 88% Attached unit 11% 10% 12% White 83% 87% 84% Not white 17% 13% 16% Not Hispanic 87% 91% 89% Hispanic 13% 9% 11% White alone, not Hispanic 75% 81% 77% Hispanic and/or other race 25% 19% 23% Female 52% 62% 53% Male 48% 38% 47% 18-34 years of age 33% 14% 31% 35-54 years of age 45% 46% 46% 55+ years of age 21% 40% 23% Females 18-34 17% 11% 17% Females 35-54 23% 30% 23% Females 55+ 11% 21% 12% Males 18-34 16% 4% 14% Males 35-54 22% 16% 22% Males 55+ 10% 18% 11% Characteristic Housing Race and Ethnicity The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Sex and Age 1 Source: 2010 Census/2005-2009 ACS The National Citizen Survey™ 89 Town of Gilbert | 2013 SURVEY DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING The survey dataset was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Frequency distributions were presented in the body of the report. Use of the “Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor” Response Scale The scale on which respondents are asked to record their opinions about service and community quality is “excellent,” “good,” “fair” or “poor” (EGFP). This scale has important advantages over other scale possibilities (very good to very bad; very satisfied to very dissatisfied; strongly agree to strongly disagree, as examples). EGFP is used by the plurality of jurisdictions conducting citizen surveys across the U.S. The advantage of familiarity was one that NRC did not want to dismiss when crafting The National Citizen Survey™ questionnaire, because elected officials, staff and residents already are acquainted with opinion surveys measured this way. EGFP also has the advantage of offering three positive options, rather than only two, over which a resident can offer an opinion. While symmetrical scales often are the right choice in other measurement tasks, NRC has found that ratings of almost every local government service in almost every jurisdiction tend, on average, to be positive (that is, above the scale midpoint). Therefore, to permit finer distinctions among positively rated services, EGFP offers three options across which to spread those ratings. EGFP is more neutral because it requires no positive statement of service quality to judge (as agreedisagree scales require) and, finally, EGFP intends to measure absolute quality of service delivery or community quality (unlike satisfaction scales which ignore residents’ perceptions of quality in favor of their report on the acceptability of the level of service offered). “Don’t Know” Responses On many of the questions in the survey respondents may answer “don’t know.” The proportion of respondents giving this reply is shown in the full set of responses included in Appendix A. However, these responses have been removed from the analyses presented in the body of the report. In other words, the tables and graphs display the responses from respondents who had an opinion about a specific item. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Benchmark Comparisons NRC has been leading the strategic use of surveys for local governments since 1991, when the principals of the company wrote the first edition of what became the classic text on citizen surveying. In Citizen Surveys: how to do them, how to use them, what they mean, published by ICMA, not only were the principles for quality survey methods articulated, but both the idea of benchmark data for citizen opinion and the method for gathering benchmark data were pioneered. The argument for benchmarks was called “In Search of Standards.” “What has been missing from a local government’s analysis of its survey results is the context that school administrators can supply when they tell parents how an 80 percent score on the social studies test compares to test results from other school systems...” NRC’s database of comparative resident opinion is comprised of resident perspectives gathered in citizen surveys from approximately 500 jurisdictions whose residents evaluated local government services. Conducted with typically no fewer than 400 residents in each jurisdiction, opinions are intended to represent over 30 million Americans. NRC has innovated a method for quantitatively integrating the results of surveys that are conducted by NRC with those that others have conducted. The integration methods have been thoroughly described not only in the Citizen Surveys book, but also in Public Administration Review, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. Scholars who specialize in the analysis of citizen surveys regularly have relied on this work (e.g., Kelly, J. & The National Citizen Survey™ 90 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Swindell, D. (2002). Service quality variation across urban space: First steps towards a model of citizen satisfaction. Journal of Urban Affairs, 24, 271-288.; Van Ryzin, G., Muzzio, D., Immerwahr, S., Gulick, L. & Martinez, E. (2004). Drivers and consequences of citizen satisfaction: An application of the American Customer Satisfaction Index Model to New York City, Public Administration Review, 64, 331- 341). The method described in those publications is refined regularly and statistically tested on a growing number of citizen surveys in NRC’s proprietary databases. NRC’s work on calculating national benchmarks for resident opinions about service delivery and quality of life won the Samuel C. May award for research excellence from the Western Governmental Research Association. The comparison evaluations are from the most recent survey completed in each jurisdiction; most communities conduct surveys every year or in alternating years. NRC adds the latest results quickly upon survey completion, keeping the benchmark data fresh and relevant. The Role of Comparisons The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Benchmark comparisons are used for performance measurement. Jurisdictions use the comparative information to help interpret their own citizen survey results, to create or revise community plans, to evaluate the success of policy or budget decisions and to measure local government performance. Taking the pulse of the community has little meaning without knowing what pulse rate is too high and what is too low. When surveys of service satisfaction turn up “good” citizen evaluations, jurisdictions need to know how others rate their services to understand if “good” is good enough. Furthermore, in the absence of national or peer community comparisons, a jurisdiction is left with comparing its fire protection rating to its street maintenance rating. That comparison is unfair. Streets always lose to fire. More important and harder questions need to be asked; for example, how do residents’ ratings of fire service compare to opinions about fire service in other communities? A police department that provides the fastest and most efficient service – one that closes most of its cases, solves most of its crimes and keeps the crime rate low – still has a problem to fix if the residents in the community it intends to protect believe services are not very good compared to ratings given by residents to their own objectively “worse” departments. The benchmark data can help that police department – or any department – to understand how well citizens think it is doing. Without the comparative data, it would be like bowling in a tournament without knowing what the other teams are scoring. NRC recommends that citizen opinion be used in conjunction with other sources of data about budget, personnel and politics to help managers know how to respond to comparative results. Jurisdictions in the benchmark database are distributed geographically across the country and range from small to large in population size. Most commonly, comparisons are made to the entire database. Comparisons may also be made to subsets of jurisdictions (for example, within a given region or population category). Despite the differences in jurisdiction characteristics, all are in the business of providing local government services to residents. Though individual jurisdiction circumstances, resources and practices vary, the objective in every community is to provide services that are so timely, tailored and effective that residents conclude the services are of the highest quality. High ratings in any jurisdiction, like SAT scores in any teen household, bring pride and a sense of accomplishment. Comparison of Gilbert to the Benchmark Database The Town of Gilbert chose to have comparisons made to the entire database and a subset of similar jurisdictions from the database (selected jurisdictions hand-picked by the Town of Gilbert). A The National Citizen Survey™ 91 Town of Gilbert | 2013 benchmark comparison (the average rating from all the comparison jurisdictions where a similar question was asked) has been provided when a similar question on the Town of Gilbert Survey was included in NRC’s database and there were at least five jurisdictions in which the question was asked. For most questions compared to the entire dataset, there were more than 100 jurisdictions included in the benchmark comparison. The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. Where comparisons for quality ratings were available, the Town of Gilbert’s results were generally noted as being “above” the benchmark, “below” the benchmark or “similar” to the benchmark. For some questions – those related to resident behavior, circumstance or to a local problem – the comparison to the benchmark is designated as “more,” “similar” or “less” (for example, the percent of crime victims, residents visiting a park or residents identifying code enforcement as a problem.) In instances where ratings are considerably higher or lower than the benchmark, these ratings have been further demarcated by the attribute of “much,” (for example, “much less” or “much above”). These labels come from a statistical comparison of the Town of Gilbert's rating to the benchmark where a rating is considered “similar” if it is within the margin of error; “above,” “below,” “more” or “less” if the difference between your jurisdiction’s rating and the benchmark is greater the margin of error; and “much above,” “much below,” “much more” or “much less” if the difference between your jurisdiction’s rating and the benchmark is more than twice the margin of error. The National Citizen Survey™ 92 Town of Gilbert | 2013 Appendix C: Survey Materials The National Citizen Survey™ by National Research Center, Inc. The following pages contain copies of the survey materials sent to randomly selected households within the Town of Gilbert. The National Citizen Survey™ 93 Dear Gilbert Resident, Dear Gilbert Resident, Your household has been selected at random to participate in an anonymous citizen survey about the Town of Gilbert. You will receive a copy of the survey next week in the mail with instructions for completing and returning it. Thank you in advance for helping us with this important project! Your household has been selected at random to participate in an anonymous citizen survey about the Town of Gilbert. You will receive a copy of the survey next week in the mail with instructions for completing and returning it. Thank you in advance for helping us with this important project! Sincerely, Sincerely, John W. Lewis Mayor John W. Lewis Mayor Dear Gilbert Resident, Dear Gilbert Resident, Your household has been selected at random to participate in an anonymous citizen survey about the Town of Gilbert. You will receive a copy of the survey next week in the mail with instructions for completing and returning it. Thank you in advance for helping us with this important project! Your household has been selected at random to participate in an anonymous citizen survey about the Town of Gilbert. You will receive a copy of the survey next week in the mail with instructions for completing and returning it. Thank you in advance for helping us with this important project! Sincerely, Sincerely, John W. Lewis Mayor John W. Lewis Mayor Presorted First Class Mail US Postage PAID Boulder, CO Permit NO. 94 Town of Gilbert Town Manager’s office 50 E. Civic Center Drive Gilbert, AZ 85296 Attention: Andi Welsh Presorted First Class Mail US Postage PAID Boulder, CO Permit NO. 94 Town of Gilbert Town Manager’s office 50 E. Civic Center Drive Gilbert, AZ 85296 Attention: Andi Welsh Presorted First Class Mail US Postage PAID Boulder, CO Permit NO. 94 Town of Gilbert Town Manager’s office 50 E. Civic Center Drive Gilbert, AZ 85296 Attention: Andi Welsh Presorted First Class Mail US Postage PAID Boulder, CO Permit NO. 94 Town of Gilbert Town Manager’s office 50 E. Civic Center Drive Gilbert, AZ 85296 Attention: Andi Welsh From the Office of Mayor John W. Lewis April 2013 Dear Town of Gilbert Resident: The Town of Gilbert wants to know what you think about our community and municipal government. You have been randomly selected to participate in Gilbert’s 2013 Citizen Survey. Please take a few minutes to fill out the enclosed Citizen Survey. Your feedback will help the Town set benchmarks for tracking the quality of services provided to residents. Your answers will help the Town Council make decisions that affect our community. You should find the questions interesting and we will definitely find your answers useful. Please participate! To get a representative sample of Gilbert residents, the adult (anyone 18 years or older) in your household who most recently had a birthday should complete this survey. Year of birth of the adult does not matter. Please have the appropriate member of the household spend a few minutes to answer all the questions and return the survey in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Your responses will remain completely anonymous. Your participation in this survey is very important – especially since your household is one of only a small number of households being surveyed. If you have any questions about the Citizen Survey please call (480) 503-6840. Please help us shape the future of Gilbert. Thank you for your time and participation. Sincerely, John W. Lewis Mayor Town of Gilbert | A Community of Excellence 50 E Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ 85296 Phone: (480) 503-6871 Fax: (480) 497-4943 www.gilbertaz.gov From the Office of Mayor John W. Lewis April 2013 Dear Town of Gilbert Resident: About one week ago, you should have received a copy of the enclosed survey. If you completed it and sent it back, we thank you for your time and ask you to recycle this survey. Please do not respond twice. If you have not had a chance to complete the survey, we would appreciate your response. The Town of Gilbert wants to know what you think about our community and municipal government. You have been randomly selected to participate in the Town of Gilbert’s Citizen Survey. Please take a few minutes to fill out the enclosed Citizen Survey. Your feedback will help the Town set benchmarks for tracking the quality of services provided to residents. Your answers will help the Town Council make decisions that affect our community. You should find the questions interesting and we will definitely find your answers useful. Please participate! To get a representative sample of Gilbert residents, the adult (anyone 18 years or older) in your household who most recently had a birthday should complete this survey. Year of birth of the adult does not matter. Please have the appropriate member of the household spend a few minutes to answer all the questions and return the survey in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Your responses will remain completely anonymous. Your participation in this survey is very important – especially since your household is one of only a small number of households being surveyed. If you have any questions about the Citizen Survey please call (480) 503-6840. Please help us shape the future of Gilbert. Thank you for your time and participation. Sincerely, John W. Lewis Mayor Town of Gilbert | A Community of Excellence 50 E Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ 85296 Phone: (480) 503-6871 Fax: (480) 497-4943 www.gilbertaz.gov The Town of Gilbert 2013 Citizen Survey Please complete this questionnaire if you are the adult (age 18 or older) in the household who most recently had a birthday. The adult's year of birth does not matter. Please select the response (by circling the number or checking the box) that most closely represents your opinion for each question. Your responses are anonymous and will be reported in group form only. 1. Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of life in Gilbert: Excellent Gilbert as a place to live .......................................................................... 1 Your neighborhood as a place to live ....................................................... 1 Gilbert as a place to raise children ........................................................... 1 Gilbert as a place to work ........................................................................ 1 Gilbert as a place to retire ........................................................................ 1 The overall quality of life in Gilbert ......................................................... 1 Good Fair Poor Don't know Good Fair Poor Don't know 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Somewhat too fast Much too fast Don't know 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 2. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Gilbert as a whole: Excellent Sense of community................................................................................. 1 Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds ............................................................................. 1 Overall appearance of Gilbert .................................................................. 1 Cleanliness of Gilbert............................................................................... 1 Overall quality of new development in Gilbert ........................................ 1 Variety of housing options ....................................................................... 1 Overall quality of business and service establishments in Gilbert ............. 1 Shopping opportunities ............................................................................ 1 Opportunities to attend cultural activities ................................................. 1 Recreational opportunities ....................................................................... 1 Employment opportunities ....................................................................... 1 Educational opportunities ........................................................................ 1 Opportunities to participate in social events and activities ....................... 1 Opportunities to participate in religious or spiritual events and activities ........................................................................................ 1 Opportunities to volunteer ....................................................................... 1 Opportunities to participate in community matters................................... 1 Ease of car travel in Gilbert ...................................................................... 1 Ease of bus travel in Gilbert ..................................................................... 1 Ease of bicycle travel in Gilbert ................................................................ 1 Ease of walking in Gilbert ........................................................................ 1 Availability of paths and walking trails ..................................................... 1 Traffic flow on major streets ..................................................................... 1 Availability of affordable quality housing ................................................. 1 Availability of affordable quality child care .............................................. 1 Availability of affordable quality health care ............................................ 1 Availability of affordable quality food ...................................................... 1 Availability of preventive health services ................................................. 1 Air quality ................................................................................................ 1 Quality of overall natural environment in Gilbert ..................................... 1 Overall image or reputation of Gilbert ..................................................... 1 2 3 3. Please rate the speed of growth in the following categories in Gilbert over the past 2 years: Much too slow Population growth ......................................................... 1 Retail growth (stores, restaurants, etc.)............................ 1 Jobs growth .................................................................... 1 Page 1 of 5 Somewhat too slow 2 2 2 Right amount 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 The National Citizen Survey™ 4. To what degree, if at all, are run down buildings, weed lots or junk vehicles a problem in Gilbert?  Not a problem  Minor problem  Moderate problem  Major problem  Don’t know 5. Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel from the following in Gilbert: Very safe Somewhat safe Neither safe nor unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Don't know Very safe Somewhat safe Neither safe nor unsafe Somewhat unsafe Very unsafe Don't know Violent crime (e.g., rape, assault, robbery) ..................... 1 Property crimes (e.g., burglary, theft) .............................. 1 Environmental hazards, including toxic waste ................ 1 6. Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel: In your neighborhood during the day ............................. 1 In your neighborhood after dark..................................... 1 In Gilbert's Heritage District during the day ................... 1 In Gilbert's Heritage District after dark ........................... 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7. Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Police Department within the last 12 months?  No  Go to Question 9  Yes  Go to Question 8  Don’t know  Go to Question 9 8. What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Police Department?  Excellent  Good  Fair  Poor  Don’t know 9. During the past 12 months, were you or anyone in your household the victim of any crime?  No  Go to Question 11  Yes  Go to Question 10  Don’t know  Go to Question 11 10. If yes, was this crime (these crimes) reported to the police?  No  Yes  Don’t know 11. In the last 12 months, about how many times, if ever, have you or other household members participated in the following activities in Gilbert? Used Gilbert public libraries or their services ........................................... 1 Used Gilbert recreation centers ................................................................ 1 Participated in a recreation program or activity ........................................ 1 Visited a neighborhood park or Town park .............................................. 1 Ridden a local bus within Gilbert ............................................................. 1 Attended a meeting of local elected officials or other local public meeting ................................................................................................ 1 Watched a meeting of local elected officials or other Town-sponsored public meeting on cable television, the Internet or other media ............ 1 Visited the Town of Gilbert Web site (at www.gilbertaz.gov) ................... 1 Recycled used paper, cans or bottles from your home.............................. 1 Volunteered your time to some group or activity in Gilbert ...................... 1 Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Gilbert ............................ 1 Participated in a club or civic group in Gilbert ......................................... 1 Provided help to a friend or neighbor....................................................... 1 Once or twice 3 to 12 times 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 13 to 26 More than times 26 times 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 3 4 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 12. About how often, if at all, do you talk to or visit with your immediate neighbors (people who live in the 10 or 20 households that are closest to you)?  Just about every day  Several times a week  Several times a month  Less than several times a month Page 2 of 5 The National Citizen Survey™ • © 2001-2013 National Research Center, Inc. Never The Town of Gilbert 2013 Citizen Survey 13. Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Gilbert: Excellent Police services ......................................................................................... 1 Fire services ............................................................................................. 1 Ambulance or emergency medical services .............................................. 1 Crime prevention ..................................................................................... 1 Fire prevention and education ................................................................. 1 Municipal courts ..................................................................................... 1 Traffic enforcement .................................................................................. 1 Street repair ............................................................................................. 1 Street cleaning ......................................................................................... 1 Street lighting ........................................................................................... 1 Sidewalk maintenance ............................................................................. 1 Traffic signal timing ................................................................................. 1 Bus or transit services ............................................................................... 1 Garbage collection................................................................................... 1 Recycling ................................................................................................. 1 Yard waste pick-up .................................................................................. 1 Storm drainage ......................................................................................... 1 Drinking water ......................................................................................... 1 Sewer services ......................................................................................... 1 Town parks .............................................................................................. 1 Recreation programs or classes ................................................................ 1 Recreation centers or facilities.................................................................. 1 Land use, planning and zoning ................................................................ 1 Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) ............................ 1 Animal control ......................................................................................... 1 Economic development ........................................................................... 1 Services to seniors.................................................................................... 1 Services to youth...................................................................................... 1 Services to low-income people ................................................................ 1 Public library services .............................................................................. 1 Public information services ...................................................................... 1 Public schools .......................................................................................... 1 Cable television ....................................................................................... 1 Emergency preparedness (services that prepare the community for natural disasters or other emergency situations) .................................... 1 Preservation of natural areas such as open space, farmlands and greenbelts ............................................................................................. 1 Good Fair Poor Don't know 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 Fair Poor Don't know Very unlikely Don’t know 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 14. Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services provided by each of the following? Excellent Good The Town of Gilbert ................................................................................ 1 The Federal Government ......................................................................... 1 The State Government ............................................................................. 1 Maricopa County Government ................................................................. 1 15. Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do each of the following: Very likely Recommend living in Gilbert to someone who asks ....................... 1 Remain in Gilbert for the next five years ........................................ 1 2 2 2 2 Somewhat likely 2 2 3 3 3 3 Somewhat unlikely 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 16. What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Do you think the impact will be:  Very positive  Somewhat positive  Neutral  Somewhat negative  Very negative Page 3 of 5 The National Citizen Survey™ 17. Have you had any in-person or phone contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert Fire Department within the last 12 months?  No  Go to Question 19  Yes  Go to Question 18  Don’t know  Go to Question 19 18. What was your overall impression of your most recent contact with the Town of Gilbert Fire Department?  Excellent  Good  Fair  Poor  Don’t know 19. Have you had any in-person, phone or email contact with an employee of the Town of Gilbert within the last 12 months (including police, receptionists, planners or any others)?  No  Go to Question 21  Yes  Go to Question 20 20. What was your impression of the employee(s) of the Town of Gilbert in your most recent contact? (Rate each characteristic below.) Excellent Knowledge............................................................................................... 1 Responsiveness ........................................................................................ 1 Courtesy .................................................................................................. 1 Overall impression................................................................................... 1 Good Fair Poor Don't know Good Fair Poor Don't know 2 2 2 2 21. Please rate the following categories of Gilbert government performance: Excellent The value of services for the taxes paid to Gilbert .................................... 1 The overall direction that Gilbert is taking ............................................... 1 The job Gilbert government does at welcoming citizen involvement ....... 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 22. Please check the response that comes closest to your opinion for each of the following questions: a. Please rate how safe or unsafe you feel from the following driving conditions on roadways in Gilbert: Very safe Speed............................................................................. 1 Aggressive driving .......................................................... 1 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) ................................. 1 Somewhat safe 2 2 2 Neither safe nor unsafe 3 3 3 Somewhat unsafe 4 4 4 Very unsafe 5 5 5 Don't know 6 6 6 b. How safe or unsafe do you feel driving on the roadways in Gilbert?  Very safe  Somewhat safe  Neither safe or unsafe  Somewhat unsafe  Very unsafe  Don’t know To what extent do you support or oppose the Town of Gilbert financially contributing to non-profit organizations that address the needs of seniors, children and the working poor?  Strongly support  Somewhat support  Somewhat oppose  Strongly oppose  Don’t know d. Do you use social media to learn about community news or town events (such as festivals, concerts, races and contests)?  Yes  No  Don’t know e. If it became necessary to raise additional money in order to fund improved parks and recreation facilities and programs in Gilbert, to what degree would you support or oppose each of the following options that Gilbert could consider? Strongly support Spending a larger share of the Gilbert General Fund budget on parks and recreation............................................................... 1 Increasing the fees that people pay to use Gilbert recreational facilities and programs ................................................................ 1 Increasing Gilbert’s sales tax to pay for parks and recreation improvements ............................................................................. 1 Increasing Gilbert’s bed tax which is charged on all hotel and motel rooms ................................................................ 1 Creating a special tax only for recreational facilities and programs . 1 Establishing a Gilbert primary property tax to fund recreation facilities and programs ................................................................ 1 Establishing additional fees for some types of recreation programs or the use of some types of recreation facilities ............ 1 Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Don’t know 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 Page 4 of 5 The National Citizen Survey™ • © 2001-2013 National Research Center, Inc. c. The Town of Gilbert 2013 Citizen Survey Our last questions are about you and your household. Again, all of your responses to this survey are completely anonymous and will be reported in group form only. D1. Are you currently employed for pay?  No  Go to Question D3  Yes, full time  Go to Question D2  Yes, part time  Go to Question D2 D2. During a typical week, how many days do you commute to work (for the longest distance of your commute) in each of the ways listed below? (Enter the total number of days, using whole numbers.) Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) by myself ............ ______ days Motorized vehicle (e.g., car, truck, van, motorcycle, etc.) with other children or adults ........................... ______ days Bus, rail, subway or other public transportation ................................. ______ days Walk ................................................. ______ days Bicycle .............................................. ______ days Work at home ................................... ______ days Other ................................................ ______ days D3. How many years have you lived in Gilbert?  Less than 2 years  11-20 years  2-5 years  More than 20 years  6-10 years D4. Which best describes the building you live in?  One family house detached from any other houses  House attached to one or more houses (e.g., a duplex or townhome)  Building with two or more apartments or condominiums  Mobile home  Other D5. Is this house, apartment or mobile home...  Rented for cash or occupied without cash payment?  Owned by you or someone in this house with a mortgage or free and clear? D6. About how much is your monthly housing cost for the place you live (including rent, mortgage payment, property tax, property insurance and homeowners’ association (HOA) fees)?  Less than $300 per month  $300 to $599 per month  $600 to $999 per month  $1,000 to $1,499 per month  $1,500 to $2,499 per month  $2,500 or more per month D7. Do any children 17 or under live in your household?  No  Yes D8. Are you or any other members of your household aged 65 or older?  No  Yes D9. How much do you anticipate your household's total income before taxes will be for the current year? (Please include in your total income money from all sources for all persons living in your household.)  Less than $24,999  $25,000 to $49,999  $50,000 to $99,999  $100,000 to $149,999  $150,000 or more Please respond to both questions D10 and D11: D10. Are you Spanish, Hispanic or Latino?  No, not Spanish, Hispanic or Latino  Yes, I consider myself to be Spanish, Hispanic or Latino D11. What is your race? (Mark one or more races to indicate what race you consider yourself to be.)  American Indian or Alaskan Native  Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander  Black or African American  White  Other D12. In which category is your age?  18-24 years  55-64 years  25-34 years  65-74 years  35-44 years  75 years or older  45-54 years D13. What is your sex?  Female  Male D14. Are you registered to vote in your jurisdiction?  No  Ineligible to vote  Yes  Don’t know D15. Many people don't have time to vote in elections. Did you vote in the last general election?  No  Ineligible to vote  Yes  Don’t know D16. Do you have a cell phone?  No  Yes D17. Do you have a land line at home?  No  Yes D18. If you have both a cell phone and a land line, which do you consider your primary telephone number?  Cell  Land line  Both Thank you for completing this survey. Please return the completed survey in the postage-paid envelope to: National Research Center, Inc., PO Box 549, Belle Mead, NJ 08502 Page 5 of 5 Presorted First Class Mail US Postage PAID Boulder, CO Permit NO.94 Town of Gilbert Town Manager’s office 50 E. Civic Center Drive Gilbert, AZ 85296 Attention: Andi Welsh