Pulse of Concord: Roosters Pardoned!

www.PulseOfConcord is a regular web survey that is open to everyone that runs monthly during the Summer and Fall, seasonally in the Winter with Spring flexible. It goes out to about 800 email addresses 85% of which are in the Concord, CA area. Responses are anywhere from 130 to 449 in range. The capability to sort by resident vs. non-resident is available and is only referenced when there is a significant difference in the groups. The audience suggests the topics/questions with a lot of work made to try to make the questions neutral and within an easy response choice. (That is much harder than you think.)

1. Have you participated in a city workshop/outreach in the last year?

Yes 8%
No 61.6%
Did not hear of one 29%
Not in area 1.5%

This could have been a poor question as it leads one to believe that the 61% who did not attend actually knew of one, which may or may not be the case. How to reach those that did not hear of one and how to motivate those that did not attend is something to work on. Workshops are listed on the City’s website http://www.ci.concord.ca.us/about/calendar/

2. You (or your immediate family) are prepared for a major earthquake/disaster with home supplies for 3 days including water, food, medical needs and a PLAN on how to respond.

30.4% Strongly Agree
35.6% Somewhat Agree
11.1% Somewhat Disagree
13.3% Completely Disagree
9.6% neutral

With almost 2/3rds saying that they agree it has to warm the heart of the City’s Emergency Response Goddess: Margaret Romiti. The city has an active CERT’s program to provide local neighborhood leadership and volunteers for a disaster and all of you should consider signing up for it. Contact Margaret at margaretr@cpd.ci.concord.ca.us).

3. Concord’s Todos Santos (downtown) area needs a hotel.

5.1% Strongly Agree
18.1 Somewhat Agree
10.1% Somewhat Disagree
38.4% Completely Disagree
Neutral 28%

There was an interesting split with the residents vs. non residents where they both had about the same breakdown with the agreement side but the residents were overwhelmingly in Complete Disagreement while the out of towners (who might have used the hotel) were overwhelmingly neutral.

4. The diversity of the city is reflected in the city staff and police department.

8.7% Strongly Agree
19.6% Somewhat Agree
12.3% Somewhat Disagree
11.6% Completely Disagree
47.8% neutral or unsure

Fairly split in their views with residents tending to disagree more than residents. The large neutral position may actually be a sign that it is not something on people’s radar.

5. Removing graffiti is a problem in Concord.
19.1% Strongly Agree
33.8% Somewhat Agree
14.0% Somewhat Disagree
7.4% Strongly Disagree
25.7% Neutral

Well over 52% think we have a problem and only 21% do not. Interestingly the non-residents have only 33% on the agree side. Possibly because they have less exposure to the city neighborhoods and may be more impressed with the downtown area that is given a quick response.

6. I have gone to Sunvalley Mall more this year than last year.
14.4% Strongly Agree
15.1% Somewhat Agree
12.2% Somewhat Disagree
36.7% Completely Disagree
21.6% Neutral

Well it looks like the economy at Sunvalley still has a lot of potential for the return of more customers with almost 50% saying that they are going there less than last year and only 30% going there more. This is a continuous issue with sales tax being the single largest source of revenue for the city slowly out pacing property taxes.

7. Increased Bike Lanes (where they are separated from cars by a curb) is a good idea for major streets. (e.g. Concord Blvd., Clayton Rd., Kirker Pass Rd., Willow Pass Rd., etc.)

38.1% Strongly Agree
17.3% Somewhat Agree
15.1% Somewhat Disagree
18.7% Completely Disagree
10.8% Neutral

Support for bike lanes is there. Space and money are always the issue. The East Bay Bicycle Coalition has some interesting maps on the net somewhere that shows the bike routes as USED by bikers with notes on which are more dangerous or easy. One of the planning issues is always to have the formal routes equal to the used routes.

8. Banning Roosters in the City is a good idea.

28.8% Strongly Agree
15.1% Somewhat Agree
13.0% Somewhat Disagree
24.5% Completely Disagree
18.7% Neutral

This question is asked each year about this time and there is still a reasonable support for keeping the roosters. (Maybe it is because they taste like chicken?).

9. My church, (mosque, synagogue, place of worship, etc.), has a strong influence on my voting in local elections.

8.2% Strongly Agree
4.5% Somewhat Agree
3.0% Somewhat Disagree
17.2% Strongly Disagree
5.2% Politics is not ever discussed even indirectly
51.5% don’t attend religious services regularly
10.5% Neutral

This is an interesting view of things. 12.7% in a very divided local election could be a big effect, though maybe the concept of what is a local election is too vague?

10. If the Presidential election were held today would you vote for?

41.9% Obama
37.5% Romney
14.0% other
6.6% Not Voting

Well we know how this turned out and it looks as if all the ‘other’s voted for Obama at the end of the day as the city was 2-1 for Obama.

So folks, now to put together the Winter Topics and questions. Send your suggestions to EdiBirsan@astound.net and let’s see what the Winter Brings.

Disclaimer: To the extent that there is an opinion or view, actual or perceived it is not the view of City of Concord. (Look for a more extensive mucky muck disclaimer in this space in the future now that I have wound up on the City Council).

Tagged as: bike lanes, emergency preparedness, pulse of concord, roosters, sun valley mall, survey