Phase 2 of the 2015 Yakima Citizen Survey is now underway and community members are invited to fill out an online version of the annual questionnaire by clicking on a link in the Points of Interest section on the City of Yakima website at http://bit.ly/1ieS8YM. Phase 1 of this year’s survey, which involved the survey being mailed to 3000 randomly-selected Yakima households, concluded about two weeks ago.
The online version of the 2015 Yakima Citizen Survey, which is available in both English and Spanish, will close on Monday, September 28th.
The City conducted the first Yakima Citizen Survey in 2012. Since then, surveys have been conducted annually. The City utilizes the survey to ask community members to help identify important challenges and opportunities facing Yakima. Results of each year’s survey are compared to the findings of previous surveys to determine if progress is being made in meeting the needs of the community and if issues identified by community members as requiring improvement are being addressed by the City. Results are also compared to those of other cities to see how Yakima measures up to national benchmarks.
National Research Center, Inc., which has conducted Yakima Citizen Surveys since 2012, is also overseeing this year’s survey. Results of the mail-in, scientifically-valid version of the 2015 Yakima Citizen Survey are expected to be available in mid to late September. Results of the online version of the survey are expected to be available later this fall.
This year’s Yakima Citizen Survey contains virtually the same questions that have been included in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 questionnaires. Survey takers are asked to rate various aspects of Yakima including quality of life, safety, events and activities, City services, local government performance, and specific programs or projects the City should focus on. Survey takers are also asked to provide certain demographic information including age, employment status, income, and ethnicity.
A few custom questions are also asked as part of each year’s survey. In previous years the City has included custom questions concerning recycling, car tabs, potential property tax and sales tax increases, funding a potential aquatic facility, and what kinds of events people would like to see at the Capitol Theatre. This year’s custom questions ask survey takers how important it is for the City to focus on certain areas, like improving the sense of safety in Yakima and the quality of the natural environment, and which programs or projects the City should invest in including parks and recreation facilities, roads, economic development, and code enforcement.