PRESS RELEASE MONDAY MARCH 5, 2007

For further information contact Steve Huntington,
215 523 7900,
fax 215 523 7911
shuntington@hhflaw.com
Suite 1032, 1500 JFK Blvd
Phila 19102

Coordinator of the Crosstown Coalition, an informal federation of Bella Vista United Civic Association, Center City Residents Association, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Old City Civic Association, Queen Village Neighborhood Association, Society Hill Civic Association and Washington Square West Civic Association

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1009 RESPONSES TO A CROSSTOWN COALITION SURVEY - CORRUPTION, EDUCATION AND THE ECONOMY ARE TOP THREE CONCERNS

1,009 survey respondents in seven center city neighborhoods rated municipal corruption, education and the economy as the most important issues for the next Mayor. Public safety, the issue dominating the headlines, was rated fourth. 23% of those solicited, residents of neighborhoods containing 40,990 voters* in an election where the winner might obtain 60,000 votes, responded to a Crosstown Coalition survey distributed in the second and third weeks of February. The feedback will be used to generate a Coalition questionnaire addressed to the Mayoral candidates. A future blog, www.crosstowncoalition@blogspot.com, will post the questions and answers for public comment.

Michelle Langer**, a survey respondent who resides in the Fitler Square Area, commented:

“It would be nice to have another Ed Rendell but what we need is just something approximating competence. When the citizens trust their government, when children receive a decent education, and when the City starts generating jobs, then crime will not be the lead in the evening news.” **

Tully Speaker***, another survey respondent from Logan Square, had this to say:

“Lincoln Steffens wrote that Phila is corrupt and content. The perception persists that the corruption continues. I think that the contentment does not.”

RANKING OF ISSUES

A comprehensive question asking respondents to rate 13 topics on a 1 to 10 scale from least to most important produced the following rankings:

PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS RATING TOPICS 9 OR 10 IN IMPORTANCE

Corruption 72%
Education 69%
Finance & Budget 64%
Public Safety 62%
Jobs & Economic Dev. 58%
Business & Wage Tax 54%
Zoning & Planning 51%
Real Estate Taxes 48%
Casinos 46%
Transportation & Parking 40%
Parks & Recreation 30%
Homelessness 23%
The Arts 17%

While the arts were rated last, 98% agreed that they were important to the City’s quality of life and economic health.

CORRUPTION

There is consensus on corruption. Despite a fairly even split as to the City’s provision of services, 44% thought services had improved or remained the same while 46% found that they had deteriorated, 85% thought that the City’s operations were marred by significant corruption and only one respondent reported that City government acted with high integrity. 93% would favor a candidate who endorsed legislation penalizing those who provide gifts or favors to City employees. 89% thought that public disclosure of City contracts would improve political integrity, while 80% favored transparency of political contributions and 76% thought that a Board of Ethics could play a role in dealing with governmental corruption.

EDUCATION

On the basic question of school performance, the responses were split – 32% found improvement while 37% noted deterioration. 81% thought the Mayor should spend significant political capital seeking state education funding for the City but, when asked about the expenditure of financial capital rather than political capital, only 31% agreed that education deserved greater funding from the City with 48% taking the opposite view. 50% believed that the School Reform Commission should remain in control of the City’s schools while 31% chose “I don’t know” and only 19% opted for a return to local control. Asked whether Charter Schools have improved the quality of education, 37% selected “I don’t know” but, of those responding, 47% had a positive view of Charters.

THE ECONOMY

In a City recently reported to have lost 4.5% of its jobs between 2000 and 2005, 69% were critical of the City’s performance in adding jobs and businesses. Asked about taxes, 85% thought it important to phase in real estate assessment revisions over a number of years, while 84% stated that the city’s business tax structure discourages both job growth and the business environment.

PUBLIC SAFETY

For residents in the surveyed neighborhoods, public safety is a concern, although not the primary concern. But there is clear dissatisfaction with police performance. Even though 48% thought that crime in their neighborhood had decreased or remained the same in the past five years, while only 38% indicated that it had increased, 43% perceived the police department to be ineffective and only 15% rated it as effective. In response to questions about systemic changes, 80% agreed that the appointment of a police commissioner was sufficiently important that the City should adopt sophisticated selection processes such as hiring a search firm or appointing a search committee. 60% believed that the criminal justice system would be improved by the publication of statistics tracking cases from arrest to final disposition. 46% indicated that the commissioner should be permitted to appoint more senior police officials although 30% answered “I don’t know” to this question.

ZONING

There is dissatisfaction with the current zoning code – 60% found it ineffective and, when asked to choose between the present level of planning or increased oversight with its attendant costs, the majority of respondents, 72%, selected an increase in planning.

CASINOS

Casinos are not welcome in the Crosstown communities. 82% were opposed to any casinos within twelve (12) blocks of their home and 88% agreed that decisions regarding casino locations should be controlled by the City with input from its citizens.

THE CONDUCT OF THE SURVEY

The seven member associations transmitted 4,400 emails containing the survey’s URL link to their members in the second and third weeks of February. 92% of the respondents selected one of the seven neighborhoods as their residence, while 76 participants, 8%, checked “other.”

 

THE CROSSTOWN COALITION - Bella Vista United Civic Association, Center City Residents Association, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Old City Civic Association, Queen Village Neighborhood Association, Society Hill Civic Association and Washington Square West Civic Association

*Analysis of Committee of Seventy records 2002 - 2006
** milanger@msn.com
*** Tully Speaker215 563 9779

Last Updated: March 5, 2007