Councilmember Tim Burgess
Seattle City Council releases budget survey results
More than 1,000 residents responded, emphasized public safety, public schools
and transportation priorities
Seattle – The City Council today released the results of its survey of residents about the 2013-2014 City budget. Respondents gave public safety, public schools and transportation the highest rank when asked to order the "most important" local government services and the priorities "local government should focus on." View a complete summary of the survey results.
More than 1,000 Seattle residents completed the non-scientific survey, which was available online and promoted via blogs, newsletters and handouts at community events around the city. The Council also received hundreds of e-mails and phone calls about the budget and heard hours of testimony at public hearings.
"The survey shows that people want to be safe, they want good schools and they want to be able to get around town in a variety of ways," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council’s Budget Committee.
When asked to write what they liked most about their neighborhood, survey participants repeatedly emphasized the ability to walk to different amenities and places of activity in their neighborhood. Most respondents felt a strong or strengthening sense of community in their neighborhood.
Slightly more than half of survey participants believed the City was "responsive" (26.6 percent) or "becoming more responsive" (25.8 percent) to the needs of Seattle’s most vulnerable residents.
The survey also posed questions about safety, street maintenance and satisfaction levels with basic city services.
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