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City Council's update on the 2024 Community Satisfaction Survey
City Council's update on the 2024 Community Satisfaction Survey

Yahoo

time26-05-2025

  • General
  • Yahoo

City Council's update on the 2024 Community Satisfaction Survey

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Last summer the City of Grand Junction sent out 5,400 Community Satisfaction Surveys in hopes to understand the public's overall satisfaction with the city's priorities, concerns and services. The first round of surveys was mailed to random Grand Junction homes and gave the option to fill out a physical survey or one online, the city got 851 responses. The second round of surveys were then made available two weeks later to Grand Junction stakeholders including non-residents, they received 297 responses. Boasting the city with a 21% response rate. In those surveys, a majority (58%) of responders felt that the city is generally headed in the right direction. This number is down 2% from 2022, but more interestingly the number of people who believe the city is generally heading in the wrong direction has raised from 22% in 2022 to 27% in 2024. Those satisfied with the city's direction have enjoyed the sense community and economic and neighborhood stability, The reasoning for that 5% increase is homelessness, crime, and growth. Those concerns are also seen in the public's priorities moving forward. Similarly to 2022, the largest concern is public safety and crime, with the second largest being sustainable resource management (water). The people of Grand Junction still favor addressing homelessness, but despite the rise in people saying the city is heading in the wrong direction because of it, they seem to be less concerned with it than they were in 2022. Although there was more support for affordable housing and community involvement, support for enhancing the co-responder program and increasing funding for nonprofit partners focused on providing services for the homeless has dropped. When it comes to those responsible for the safety of the community, residents have approved. A high majority of all residents were extremely satisfied with EMS and fire. Their respective satisfaction rates were 90%, 88%, 86% and 78% for effectiveness of the fire department staff, overall quality of fire services including EMS, response times to emergency incidents, and fire safety, awareness and education programs. On the police side of things, the results are similar 2022, and residents are generally satisfied with their service and confident in the force. What most love about the Grand Valley, the outdoors, was also a topic of discussion. In 2024 people submitted their highest priorities for Grand Junction Parks and Recreation. In order from one to five, those were trails, river access, indoor sports facilities, picnic shelters and playgrounds. For the city as a whole, the biggest priorities were improving and building roads, improve intersection safety, and expand housing opportunities for a variety of incomes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure
DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure

Washington Post

time23-05-2025

  • Business
  • Washington Post

DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure

The group run by Elon Musk and his aides to cut federal spending in the second Trump administration is targeting some surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau it claims are 'wasteful,' worrying users of federal data already concerned about the health of the nation's statistical infrastructure. The Department of Government Efficiency said on social media this week that five surveys costing $16.5 million that are conducted by the statistical agency for other federal agencies have been 'terminated' but didn't specify which ones. Some of the questions on the eliminated surveys asked about alcohol consumption and the frequency that respondents used the internet in their home, according to the post. Other surveys are being reviewed 'one-by-one,' said Tuesday's post on DOGE's X account. The Census Bureau didn't respond this week to an inquiry seeking comment. Based on the post, it's highly possible that the eliminated surveys included the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, which gathered information on inmates for the Department of Justice, and the Ask U.S. Panel, an internet survey conducted with the Department of Defense, said Beth Jarosz, a senior program director at the Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan research organization. There is a public process for changing government surveys that involves giving notice and seeking public comment, and anything that is canceled without going through that process may be violating the law, Jarosz said. 'These data belong to the public,' Jarosz said. 'The taxpayers paid for the data and they should get the data unless they don't want it to be collected anymore.' The Census Bureau asks the public survey questions in order to help Congress and federal agencies implement laws or develop policies, said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer who consults on census issues. 'Just picking isolated questions doesn't make any point DOGE has intended to make, which is, I guess, that the Census Bureau isn't doing serious work or necessary work, which they are,' Lowenthal said. 'I think that tweet suggests the DOGE staff has very little knowledge about data collection and the set purpose of the Census Bureau's mission.' The bigger concern is whether the Census Bureau is going to be ready for test run-throughs next year of the once-a-decade census, given federal government hiring freezes by the Trump administration and public silence from the bureau about the schedule, Lowenthal said. Tests next year for the 2030 census are slated for six places : western Texas; tribal lands in Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; western North Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Huntsville, Alabama. The census is used to determine how many congressional seats each state gets and helps guide the distribution of $2.8 trillion in annual federal funding. 'The time lost in planning for a census can't be made up easily, if at all,' Lowenthal said. 'The timeline of a census is very tight. Each step builds upon what has been done previously.' Researchers and users of federal data are grappling with broader concerns about the health of the U.S. statistical system, given disruptions to federal agencies by DOGE that have led to canceled contracts and the departures of longtime staffers with vast institutional knowledge, Georgetown professor Amy O'Hara, president of the Association of Public Data Users, said during a recent online forum. For instance, the Census Bureau's roster of top leaders and their staff showed 18 vacancies as of the beginning of the month. The statistical agency's leader, Ron Jarmin, has been filling the job in an 'acting' capacity since Census Bureau director Rob Santos resigned earlier this year. An Inspector General's report last March warned that the bureau has had difficulties hiring and retaining workers to carry out its surveys. Earlier this year, the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, eliminated advisory committees made up of demographers, statisticians and advocacy group leaders who provided expertise to the statistical agency. 'There's a lot of anxiety. There's a lot of frustration because information is potentially threatened due to changes in agencies or changes in programs,' O'Hara said. 'There's just this fear that what you had relied on is not going to be available.' ___ Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky at @ .

DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure
DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure

The Independent

time23-05-2025

  • Business
  • The Independent

DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure

The group run by Elon Musk and his aides to cut federal spending in the second Trump administration is targeting some surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau it claims are 'wasteful," worrying users of federal data already concerned about the health of the nation's statistical infrastructure. The Department of Government Efficiency said on social media this week that five surveys costing $16.5 million that are conducted by the statistical agency for other federal agencies have been 'terminated' but didn't specify which ones. Some of the questions on the eliminated surveys asked about alcohol consumption and the frequency that respondents used the internet in their home, according to the post. Other surveys are being reviewed 'one-by-one,' said Tuesday's post on DOGE 's X account. The Census Bureau didn't respond this week to an inquiry seeking comment. Based on the post, it's highly possible that the eliminated surveys included the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, which gathered information on inmates for the Department of Justice, and the Ask U.S. Panel, an internet survey conducted with the Department of Defense, said Beth Jarosz, a senior program director at the Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan research organization. There is a public process for changing government surveys that involves giving notice and seeking public comment, and anything that is canceled without going through that process may be violating the law, Jarosz said. 'These data belong to the public,' Jarosz said. 'The taxpayers paid for the data and they should get the data unless they don't want it to be collected anymore.' The Census Bureau asks the public survey questions in order to help Congress and federal agencies implement laws or develop policies, said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer who consults on census issues. 'Just picking isolated questions doesn't make any point DOGE has intended to make, which is, I guess, that the Census Bureau isn't doing serious work or necessary work, which they are,' Lowenthal said. 'I think that tweet suggests the DOGE staff has very little knowledge about data collection and the set purpose of the Census Bureau's mission.' The bigger concern is whether the Census Bureau is going to be ready for test run-throughs next year of the once-a-decade census, given federal government hiring freezes by the Trump administration and public silence from the bureau about the schedule, Lowenthal said. Tests next year for the 2030 census are slated for six places: western Texas; tribal lands in Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; western North Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Huntsville, Alabama. The census is used to determine how many congressional seats each state gets and helps guide the distribution of $2.8 trillion in annual federal funding. 'The time lost in planning for a census can't be made up easily, if at all,' Lowenthal said. 'The timeline of a census is very tight. Each step builds upon what has been done previously.' Researchers and users of federal data are grappling with broader concerns about the health of the U.S. statistical system, given disruptions to federal agencies by DOGE that have led to canceled contracts and the departures of longtime staffers with vast institutional knowledge, Georgetown professor Amy O'Hara, president of the Association of Public Data Users, said during a recent online forum. For instance, the Census Bureau's roster of top leaders and their staff showed 18 vacancies as of the beginning of the month. The statistical agency's leader, Ron Jarmin, has been filling the job in an 'acting' capacity since Census Bureau director Rob Santos resigned earlier this year. An Inspector General's report last March warned that the bureau has had difficulties hiring and retaining workers to carry out its surveys. Earlier this year, the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, eliminated advisory committees made up of demographers, statisticians and advocacy group leaders who provided expertise to the statistical agency. 'There's a lot of anxiety. There's a lot of frustration because information is potentially threatened due to changes in agencies or changes in programs,' O'Hara said. 'There's just this fear that what you had relied on is not going to be available.' ___ Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky at @

DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure
DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure

Associated Press

time23-05-2025

  • Business
  • Associated Press

DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure

The group run by Elon Musk and his aides to cut federal spending in the second Trump administration is targeting some surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau it claims are 'wasteful,' worrying users of federal data already concerned about the health of the nation's statistical infrastructure. The Department of Government Efficiency said on social media this week that five surveys costing $16.5 million that are conducted by the statistical agency for other federal agencies have been 'terminated' but didn't specify which ones. Some of the questions on the eliminated surveys asked about alcohol consumption and the frequency that respondents used the internet in their home, according to the post. Other surveys are being reviewed 'one-by-one,' said Tuesday's post on DOGE's X account. The Census Bureau didn't respond this week to an inquiry seeking comment. Based on the post, it's highly possible that the eliminated surveys included the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, which gathered information on inmates for the Department of Justice, and the Ask U.S. Panel, an internet survey conducted with the Department of Defense, said Beth Jarosz, a senior program director at the Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan research organization. There is a public process for changing government surveys that involves giving notice and seeking public comment, and anything that is canceled without going through that process may be violating the law, Jarosz said. 'These data belong to the public,' Jarosz said. 'The taxpayers paid for the data and they should get the data unless they don't want it to be collected anymore.' The Census Bureau asks the public survey questions in order to help Congress and federal agencies implement laws or develop policies, said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer who consults on census issues. 'Just picking isolated questions doesn't make any point DOGE has intended to make, which is, I guess, that the Census Bureau isn't doing serious work or necessary work, which they are,' Lowenthal said. 'I think that tweet suggests the DOGE staff has very little knowledge about data collection and the set purpose of the Census Bureau's mission.' The bigger concern is whether the Census Bureau is going to be ready for test run-throughs next year of the once-a-decade census, given federal government hiring freezes by the Trump administration and public silence from the bureau about the schedule, Lowenthal said. Tests next year for the 2030 census are slated for six places: western Texas; tribal lands in Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; western North Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Huntsville, Alabama. The census is used to determine how many congressional seats each state gets and helps guide the distribution of $2.8 trillion in annual federal funding. 'The time lost in planning for a census can't be made up easily, if at all,' Lowenthal said. 'The timeline of a census is very tight. Each step builds upon what has been done previously.' Researchers and users of federal data are grappling with broader concerns about the health of the U.S. statistical system, given disruptions to federal agencies by DOGE that have led to canceled contracts and the departures of longtime staffers with vast institutional knowledge, Georgetown professor Amy O'Hara, president of the Association of Public Data Users, said during a recent online forum. For instance, the Census Bureau's roster of top leaders and their staff showed 18 vacancies as of the beginning of the month. The statistical agency's leader, Ron Jarmin, has been filling the job in an 'acting' capacity since Census Bureau director Rob Santos resigned earlier this year. An Inspector General's report last March warned that the bureau has had difficulties hiring and retaining workers to carry out its surveys. Earlier this year, the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, eliminated advisory committees made up of demographers, statisticians and advocacy group leaders who provided expertise to the statistical agency. 'There's a lot of anxiety. There's a lot of frustration because information is potentially threatened due to changes in agencies or changes in programs,' O'Hara said. 'There's just this fear that what you had relied on is not going to be available.' ___ Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky at @

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