PEORIA, Ariz – (Feb.
16, 2010) – About eight of every 10 city residents say Peoria’s overall
quality of life is “excellent” or “good” according to a recent citizen
satisfaction survey conducted in December 2009. The National Citizen Survey
mailed questionnaires to a random sample of 1,200 Peoria households and received
324 replies, a 29 percent response rate that provides a 5 percent margin of
error.
The survey is a tool
Peoria uses to measure the opinions and attitudes of residents about city
services and other aspects of the community. The data collected helps the city
prioritize services, allocate financial and other resources, and develop
programs and policies.
Among Peoria’s
characteristics rated most highly by residents were recreational opportunities
and the quality of new development in the city. The survey also indicates a
substantial level of trust in local government, and that a majority of residents
are satisfied with the city’s overall direction.
Survey respondents who
interacted with city employees gave high marks, with more than 80 percent rating
employees as “excellent” or “good” in four customer service areas.
The two characteristics
receiving the least positive ratings were ease of bus travel (21 percent rated
it “excellent” or “good”) and employment opportunities (26 percent rating it
“excellent” or “good”).
Those ratings are not
surprising to the city’s elected officials and professional staff, who have
placed economic development and job creation as one of the city’s top
priorities. Staff is also developing a multimodal transportation plan that will
provide a blueprint of potential improvements to transit and other
transportation modes in Peoria.
Ratings of the city’s
characteristics were also compared to a national benchmark database of other
municipalities around the nation. Of the 34 services for which comparisons were
available, 11 were above the benchmark, 19 were similar to the benchmark and
four were below.
A full copy of the
survey report is available at
www.peoriaaz.gov/citizensurvey.
