2005 Survey Report | Data Tables | Survey Form

We received nearly 450 responses to this year’s annual community survey, above the number needed to have an accuracy of +/- 5%. Responses included ratings of City appearance; City government efforts and communication; community services that include transportation issues, public welfare and age-appropriate programs for citizens; neighborhood conditions and traffic issues and business districts conditions; safety issues; as well as a comment section.
   Throughout the report, we note trends that have developed during the last several years, specifically those of five percentage points or more.

Ratings
Most of the items (indicated by italics) on the survey were rated on a five-point scale, labeled “excellent, above average, average, below average, poor.”
For ease of comparison, average or better ratings are combined as “percent favorable” and the remaining percentage represents below average and
poor ratings (percent unfavorable).

Trends
City street conditions are down 24 percentage points since the City began tracking citizen evaluations in 1997, when the rating was 91% favorable.
These ratings have dropped ten points since 2002.

Smaller downward trends have occurred for (keep in mind that there is a +/-5% margin of error):

• Library services are down five points since 2002 and eight points since 1997, though at 91% favorable, they are still highly rated. This change could be attributed to concerns about cutbacks in services over the past few years.
• Police services have dropped six points since 1997, however, at 92% favorable remain highly rated.
• Both neighborhood police patrol and street conditions have dropped five points since 2000, receiving 73 and 76% favorable ratings, respectively.
• Programs for teens (high school) have increased five points since 2000, yet are the lowest rated programs by age group at 76% favorable.

Highest ratings (99-94% favorable)

• City park maintenance (99)
• Fire services (98)
• Harbor/Marina services (97)
• City beach maintenance (97)
• WAVE shuttle service (95)
• Overall City services (94)
• Garbage collection/recycling (94)

Library services and City medians, greenbelts and street trees have both dropped from the top rated list, but remain highly rated.

Lowest ratings (less than 80% favorable)

• City street conditions (67)
• Availability of parking in business districts (69)
• Neighborhood police patrol (73)
• Considers/listens to citizen comments/input – City government (75)
• Programs for teens (high school) (76)
• Neighborhood street conditions (76)

Of these, only programs for teens has shown an increase in favorable ratings over the last several years. City and neighborhood street conditions as well as neighborhood police patrols have shown declines. On another positive note, satisfaction with code /zoning regulation enforcement has increased and comes in at 85% favorable ratings, up seven points from 2002.

• The City has maintained high ratings in many areas covered by the survey during these past several years, especially considering the economic challenges facing the community.
   

• City street conditions ratings have dropped significantly and are the lowest ratings on the survey. Neighborhood street conditions are also poorly rated and declining.
   

• Cutbacks appear to have affected ratings and perceptions of the City’s library services. Although it remains highly rated, it has dropped from the list of top rated items and has dropped eight points in eight years, the second largest decline on the survey.
   

• Ratings of police services have declined six points in eight years, the third largest decline, though these ratings should still be considered high (92%). Ratings of neighborhood police patrol have dropped five points in the past three years and are the third lowest rated item on the survey (73% favorable).
   

• Availability of parking in business districts, the second lowest rated item, is likely to remain a continuing dilemma. The low ratings for considers/listens to citizen input may be related to the considerable number of comments on the new City Hall.
   

• Significant improvement has been made in making Downtown Monterey feel like a safer place to walk at night. It will continue to be a challenge to ensure that the majority of respondents feel more safe at night at many of the locations.
   

• Programs for citizens are a luxury in many communities. The City of Monterey has provided many services in the way of programs for all age groups as indicated by respondents. Programs for seniors, adults and children are rated highly; programs for youth and teens, although lower in their ratings, have shown some improvement during the last five years.
   

• The City is to be commended for its exceptionally high ratings of the cleanliness of the City as a whole, the maintenance of its parks, beaches, medians etc., as well as its efforts to preserve historic resources and open spaces/parks. It is hoped that ratings of the new item on protecting the Bay from pollutants will only continue to receive even more favorable ratings.