Economic issues cloud sunny city survey results

By Dan MacArthur
Fossil Creek Current

Like the children of the fictional Lake Wobegon, Fort Collins in a recent citizens suvery was rated as above average in most respects, with a few notable exceptions related to the economy.

They rated as bad bordering on average the city's performance in preserving its position as the retail hub of northern Colorado.

Fifty-seven percent of the respondents rated the city's overall economic health as average or lower.

And while most community attributes received good ratings, the availability of good jobs and affordable housing fell short, earning only average ratings.

A majority of those responding believed Fort Collins should put more effort into improving the city's economic health and transportation system. But there was no clear consensus on which of three sources--tax increases, fee hikes or budget cuts in other areas--should be used to finance enhanced efforts to accomplish those or five other goals listed in the survey.

"No single funding option received majority support," its authors stated. "For example, of the...59 percent of all respondents who favored more effort to improve economic health, 38 percent of them selected new or increased fees to fund the additional effort, 37 percent of them selected reducing other goals, only 24 percent selected new or increased taxes, and 14 percent selected none of the three funding options."

The survey found that the same general pattern of preferences applied to the 58 percent of all respondents favoring more effort to improve transportation as well as to the 89 percent of all respondents favoring more effort for achieving one or more of the seven stated goals. "Generally, these respondents preferred new or increased fees or reducing efforts to achieve other goals over new or increased taxes," according to the survey summary.

Conducted in April and May, researchers mailed questionnaires to 1,687 randomly selected Fort Collins households including Colorado State University student residence halls. Responses were received from 786 households, representing a statistically valid response rate of nearly 47 percent with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.

The results of this year's survey generally were consistent with previous ones in 2003 and 2001. "Using a scale ranging from very bad to very good, respondents gave mean ratings of good to Fort Collins as a place to raise children, a place to attend college and a place to retire," according to the summary. "They also gave the community a mean rating of good overall as a place to live. These ratings were unchanged from prior surveys."

Residents similarly rated as good their neighborhoods, the environment and recreation programs and facilities for seniors, adults, youth and teens. Neighborhood safety received the highest overall rating with respondents rating their neighborhoods as "always safe." They also gave downtown during the day a relatively high rating as "usually safe," bordering on "always safe."

On transportation, respondents rated the ease of travel by bicycle as good, although the ease of walking and driving both rated average.

Other than the "bad bordering on average" performance in preserving the city's position as retail center, the city was rated as average in listening, responding to citizens and informing citizens about city issues and problems. Respondents also rated the city as average in listening to citizens' opinions and concerns and considering citizens' opinions before making decisions. City management was rated as average overall, but city employee customer service was rated as good.

"It's clear that the economy and transportation are top priorities for our citizens, and the survey results reinforce the importance of the work being done by city council and staff to develop and implement an economic action plan," stated city manager Darin Atteberry.