City of Renton2011 Community Surveys

Preliminary Findings

Bruce Brown1/23/12

What was the purpose of the surveys?

Understanding the City of Renton’s residents’ and business community’s experience with city services is critical to:Informing the City’s performance-based budgeting effortAdvising City leaders as they assess future projects and

services that may be desired by the community

How was the study conducted?

Telephone surveys with: Random sample of 379 residents (weighted by age and race)

Random digit dial sample Cell-phone sample Listed sample targeted to non-whites Listed sample targeted to renters

Random sample of 100 businesses (weighted by profit/non-profit and number of employees) 79 for-profit 21 non-profit or government

Online surveys with: 190 residents 93 businesses

Residential Survey

Is Renton headed in the right direction?How is Renton as a place to be?How well does Renton do in keeping residents informed?How well does Renton do in reaching out to its diverse population?How safe is Renton?How ‘connected’ are Renton residents?What is it like working with city employees?What city services need the most attention?What is the value of services relative to taxes paid?What projects garner the most support for tax increases?What types of tax increases are most supported?

Is Renton headed in the right direction?

How is Renton as a place to be?

How well does Renton do in keeping residents informed?

How well does Renton do in reaching out to its diverse population?

Neighborhood Downtown

How safe is Renton?

How ‘connected’ are Renton residents?

What is it like working with City employees?

How ‘good’ are City services?

What City services need the most attention?

What is the value of services relative to taxes?

What projects garner the most support for tax increases?

What types of tax increases are most supported?

Business Survey

How have business prospects changed in the last year?

What employee-related changes have occurred in the last year?

What do business prospects look like for the next year?

What would improve business prospects in the next year?

What are the major challenges to organizational growth?

How can Renton best support businesses?

How satisfied with Renton as a business location?

What are the benefits of Renton as a business location?

Are business taxes too high, about right, or too low?

What has been the experience of working with City employees?

How have business prospects changed in last year?

What employee-related changes have occurred in last year?

What do business prospects look like for next year?

What would improve business prospects in next year?

What are the major challenges to organization growth?

How can Renton best support businesses?

How satisfied with Renton as business location?

What are the benefits of Renton as a business location?

Are business taxes too high, about right, or too low?

What has been the experience of working with City employees?

Questions

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