Citizen Survey Results
I asked, and you answered.
Listening to your needs, concerns and dreams for Independence ishow I make decisions every day as your mayor. This May I sent a survey to 5,744 households in Independence to receive feedback and guidance on issues. The topics included in the survey reflect those that citizens site most often in my daily conversations and communications with those I was elected to serve. I am pleased to share the results.
Questions/Comments
- Question 1
- Question 2
- Question 3
- Open Comments
Question 1: Rank from least important (1) to most important (10)
- Expanding local bus service 4.5 (Least Important)
- Increasing diversity, equity and inclusion: 4.7
- Improving the historic look and feel of western Independence commercial areas and neighborhoods: 5.1
- Retaining and attracting small businesses by reducing bureaucratic red tape: 5.5
- Attracting business with high utility demand to help stabilize jobs: 5.6
- Funding the Independence Health Department to provide more public health services like property code compliance, animal services, food inspections and disease prevention: 5.7
- Ensuring quality, affordable housing choices to stabilize families, neighborhoods and schools: 6.0
- Recruiting large employers to provide high-quality jobs : 6.1
- Putting more police officers on the street to protect our families, homes and businesses: 6.6
- Maintaining low utility costs and avoiding rate increases: 6.7 (Most Important)
Question 2: Rank from least satisfied (1) to most satisfied (5)
- Employment opportunities: 2.5 (Least Satisfied)
- Cost of living: 2.8
- Communication with citizens about city policies, news and events: 2.9
- Quality of neighborhoods: 3.2
- Management and response to covid-19: 3.3 (Most Satisfied)
Question 3: Rank from least concerned (1) to most concerned (5)
- Public health services: 2.4 (Least Concerned)
- Property value of home: 2.9
- Crime and disorder in neighborhood: 3.3
- Homelessness population: 3.4
- Retail business closures and vacant commercial properties: 4.0 (Most Concerned)
Open Comments (Comments sorted by popularity):
- Improve streets and bridges: 19
- Less littering and trash: 17
- Address high taxes/utility bills: 15
- Lots of code violations: 11
- Homelessness problem: 11
- Improve health services: 7
- Build more sidewalks: 6
- Hire more police officers: 5
- Less rental properties: 4
- More housing: 4
- Too many low-income people: 4
- Defund police: 4
- Help small businesses: 4
- Do not fly the gay flag: 4
- Responder rents/does not own home: 4
- Reduce red tape: 3
- Take care of the properties we have: 3
- TIF commission: 3
- Make it easier to recycle: 3
- IPL credit card tax: 2
- Drug use: 2
- Roy Blunt Truman award: 2
- Improve landscaping: 2
- More funding for schools, address illiteracy problem: 2
- Do not promote diversity, increases racism: 2
- Make government actions and proposals more transparent: 2
- Survey is too broad: 1
- Improve streets and bridges: 19
- Less littering and trash: 17
- Address high taxes/utility bills: 15
- Lots of code violations: 11
- Homelessness problem: 11
- Improve health services: 7
- Build more sidewalks: 6
- Hire more police officers: 5
- Less rental properties: 4
- More housing: 4
- Too many low-income people: 4
- Defund police: 4
- Help small businesses: 4
- Do not fly the gay flag: 4
- Responder rents/does not own home: 4
- Reduce red tape: 3
- Take care of the properties we have: 3
- TIF commission: 3
- Make it easier to recycle: 3
- IPL credit card tax: 2
- Drug use: 2
- Roy Blunt Truman award: 2
- Improve landscaping: 2
- More funding for schools, address illiteracy problem: 2
- Do not promote diversity, increases racism: 2
- Make government actions and proposals more transparent: 2
- Survey is too broad: 1
So what, now what?
Moving Independence forward and addressing the areas of greatest concern to the citizens requires meaningful change. Our community can no longer rely solely on the ideas, strategies and resources of the past but need to develop fresh innovative approaches, new plans for action, and effective policies to address our most pressing needs and opportunities.
The next step is to gather your ideas and suggestions on how to solve problems and get things done. Please visit my website for upcoming town hall meetings and reach out to me by email, phone or text if you would like to schedule a meeting in your neighborhood, place of worship or business.
Mayor Eileen Weir
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