Citizen Surveys

Surveys, surveys, surveys! Just about everywhere you go you’re being asked to complete a survey. When you go to a department store the clerk informs you that if you complete an online survey you qualify for a discount. Even as many of us registered for graduation we received a survey in our inbox weeks later. Is there such a thing of knowing too much information?

In local government surveys are a useful tool to learn a variety of things about a community, its needs, and its desires. They are even more helpful when data collected is that same as data collected for hundreds of other local governments and communities. This then allows for better comparisons. For small communities it provides a good gauge of where the stands compared to larger communities with more resources.

Casa Grande recently completed a citizen survey conducted through ICMA. It was a national survey that allows us to compare ourselves with other organizations. It was the first time we’ve done this with a comprehensive national survey. I was really surprised to learn what priorities residents’ value. I wasn’t all that surprised that many residents were in favor of improving the city’s roads. The city many years ago was faced with improving other infrastructure to sustain the growth occurring or investing in repaving downtown roads. More important was the fact that a vast majority of residents value and are happy with the services the city provides.

The survey was conducted over the past 3-4 months and results are statistically valid. Given the current conditions many local governments are in, the results of the survey are very indicative of the success the city has had in weathering the economic downtown better than most other cities in Arizona.