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Friday, Nov. 13, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Related Document
Sun Coverage
Stavros Anthony
Oscar Goodman
Before city coffers fell on hard times, the big City Council debates over spending focused on which districts would get money for new parks.
With Las Vegas facing a budget deficit of more than $200 million over the next five years, the council’s debates could focus on which parks and other city facilities or services are closed or cut. To inform their debate Las Vegas officials recently reached out through a survey of about 1,000 residents who were asked which services are most important to them in tight budgetary times.
Though the results were mixed, there were a few consistent themes. Public safety programs shouldn’t be tampered with, residents said. Basic social services, including those for seniors and after-school programs, need to be maintained. And jobs are vital.
When asked which of 17 types of programs the city should “place emphasis on” during a recession, “economic development to create more jobs” scored the highest, at 72 percent. Only 16 percent of those surveyed said they wanted more emphasis on the city’s TV station, and just 19 percent said they wished the city would place more emphasis on cultural programming.
City Council members said the survey will influence their decisions on which city programs they’ll continue to support.
“I’m going to give it very serious consideration,” said Councilman Stavros Anthony. “It’s what the people want.”
Anthony, a former Metro Police official, said he wasn’t surprised that public safety consistently ranked highly. He also expected programs that can act as a sort of social safety net — including those that assist children and senior citizens — would do well.
“These are the services that people believe are essential,” Anthony said.
The telephone survey based its results on 972 interviews with residents, and was conducted from Aug. 12 to Oct. 10. Residents in each of the city’s six wards were surveyed.
The well-regarded UNLV Cannon Survey Center conducted the poll.
According to the city, the survey’s purpose in part was to identify a “satisfaction level” with city services, and to identify attitudes and feelings toward any proposed budget cutting. It will be followed by focus panels, town-hall meetings, and an online survey asking many of the same questions — part of an effort called the “Your City Your Way Initiative” (not to be confused with Burger King’s old “Have it Your Way” slogan).
The 96-page report noted 53 percent said they would “agree” or “somewhat agree” that they would be “willing to pay more to maintain services” — meaning, they would be willing to endure a tax hike to maintain their favorite city services.
Ten percent somewhat disagreed with that statement, and 35 percent disagreed with it outright.
But the most revealing results centered on which services are most valued by residents.
Of the 12 program types listed, a majority said they cared more that programs for seniors — 62 percent — and after-school programming — 60 percent — be maintained than any other programs. In fact, they cared twice as much about maintaining those programs than they did about the city’s cultural programs — 29 percent — and the city’s parks and recreation programs — 26 percent.
When asked a slightly different way — which would be “bad services to reduce” by cutting their budgets? — the respondents ranked “general safety services” as the most important to maintain. In fact, nine anti-crime categories ranked the highest, along with programs for youths and seniors. From 84 percent to 87 percent of the respondents urged officials not cut those programs.
That was markedly different from each of the other city program areas — including art and cultural programs, street maintenance, and clearing vacant lots — which received from 65 percent to 70 percent support not to be cut.
Mayor Oscar Goodman said he will place a fair amount of stock in the survey.
“It’s a part of the equation — a very important part of the equation,” Goodman said. “It’s going to help guide us as we go forward.”
Goodman said he took heart in the fact that almost three-quarters of the residents surveyed wanted more emphasis on “economic development to create more jobs.”
Undoubtedly, as the mayor moves ahead with plans for several major redevelopment projects downtown, this won’t be the last time he’ll be mentioning the survey.
He said he’s felt this support from Las Vegas residents — felt it “viscerally” — for a long time.
The best way to get more "public safety" is to expect, no demand, more from the lazy, ineffective Marshalls. The so called Park Police are a waste of money.
Metro should be more than able to cover the turf, but we pay for "park" police to drive around. It is common to see the Marshals sitting in their air conditioned cars, windows up, talking on the cell phone. It is common to see two or more Marshal's parked, both cars idling, windows down talking to each other.
The Marshals department is a duplication (cost$$) of the law enforcement Metro provides. Recently I witnessed a situation where a citizen called for help in a park and Metro responded, it was some 30 minutes later (late) a Marshall showed up.
I have never seen one of these "park" police get out of their cool/warm car and walk around a park where the criminals and delinquents hide.
You can never have too much law enforcement so that the society remains safe from the criminal element. Law and order is one of the highest priorities of a great nation.
So what is this nonsense about a new city hall downtown? How about reducing payroll at the city for a start, and what about those inflated salaries and benefit packages?
There is SO much inefficiency in LV government that its ludicrous to start anywhere but there to save money.
I say this recession is good, and it might even make government a smaller part of our lives, which would be a VERY good thing.
If you live in parts of North Las Vegas or central Vegas, there's no question that safety is of paramount importance. But what about the "safe" areas, like Henderson or Boulder City? Why do we have so many overpaid underworked cops fiddling around in their Tahoes? Firemen tooling around with nothing to do, day after day?
The only way to stop this Union abuse is to start layoffs. Yes, the dreaded "L" word. Do you have the cajones, City Council? I think not.
"Undoubtedly, as the mayor moves ahead with plans for several major redevelopment projects downtown, this won't be the last time he'll be mentioning the survey."
Our Congressional delegation, State, County & City elected officials should focus less on entertainment mega-projects & satisfying DemSoc goals thru higher taxes and more to create & maintain a business climate that encourages startups & existing small businesses, preferably in technology & transportation, in Southern Nevada. We need the jobs, and the tired old casino & construction economic strategy (along with its advocates) has had its run.
LV is ideally situated to become a Southwest US transportation hub, intersecting routes from Bay Area-Reno-Phoenix and LA-SLC-Denver; with three major air bases in southern NV (Nellis, Creech, Fallon) and the world's best testing & training ranges in or adjacent, we're also well positioned to support military & civilian aviation efforts; we're also ideally situated to become the convention capital of the world -- large numbers of competitive first rate hotel rooms, ample meeting facilities, embedded tech support, efficient transportation into & out of, and plenty of entertainement options; and with little water but abundant sunshine, we should already be leading the way in solar power generation & water conservation tech.
Instead of bailing out incompetent corporate dinosaurs, wasting money on useless pet projects & bureacracy, or pouring even more money into a medical welfare black hole, the money should've went to maintaining the existing social welfare net for the worst off and creating a climate conducive to developing jobs & and an economy for 21st century.
But we're not doing anything, at least not anything real -- our political leaders have been and remain asleep at the switch, hoping & praying the casino industry will return and save their rear ends from the political dust heap. It's time Nevada voters cleaned house....
I think there is on major area of discussion not mentioned in this survey.
The reason there is a Las Vegas economy at all, is tourism. Las Vegas is a magical place to many people who don't live here.
Marketing Las Vegas to every city within a 4 hour plane ride is where some money should be spent. There is a need to go with one's strength, which are all the fabulous assets this city possesses.
One suggestion:
Mayor Goodman has a reputation in Vegas, but no one can deny he is flamboyant. He would someday make an excellent city ambassador to the rest of North America. His stunts like showing up with two beautiful show girls, is a real attention getter. Use his talent to help fill the hotel rooms, which is what will improve the economic situation we find ourselves in.
Economic development to attract more jobs scored very high...
That opinion is probably coming from the same voters who want the state to get rid of Yucca Mountain also!
There IS NO DIVERSITY in this town and never will be (especially with the lack of any quality leadership). It will live and die with the Casino trade!
Nevadans really need to get educated and start voting certain leaders out...