SEA ISLE CITY — The Sea Isle City Taxpayers’ Association (SICTA) is conducting a survey to rate the quality of services provided by the city.
“We are providing this survey vehicle so that each taxpayer can express their opinion on the important objectives for the city,” SICTA states in its survey introduction. “It’s your town, so take an active role in shaping its future.”
This is the second year SICTA has conducted a survey. Last year’s effort received over 600 responses and the group shared the results with city government.
This year’s survey consists of 20 questions. The first few items on the survey ask residency, gender, age, voter-registration and property ownership questions.
In questions 10 – 16, the survey asks takers to rate, from very dissatisfied to very satisfied, services performed by the different city departments including administration, police, public works, community services, law, finance and community development.
Question 17 asks whether taxpayers agree or disagree with various miscellaneous statements such as Parking is adequate during the summer season or SIC elementary school is too expensive.
Finally, items 18 – 20 deal with the taxpayers’ group itself and where it should focus its future efforts.
Last year’s survey found that most takers were between the ages of 55 and 74 (64 percent) and not registered to vote in Sea Isle City (76 percent).
According to the 2007 survey, respondents were most satisfied with services provided by lifeguards and fire and emergency services personnel. Taxpayers, however, were least satisfied with parking, street repairs and city communication with the public.
Statements that last year’s respondents most strongly agreed with included: It is important that businesses maintain a presence in town and It is important to preserve the “small town” quality of life in SIC.
SICTA President Dr. Thomas Henry told the Herald one of the biggest surprises from last year’s results was the amount of people using their homes around 40 weekends a year.
“We found between 70 and 80 percent of respondents want to use their homes more and more,” he said.
According to Henry, another interesting finding was that taxpayers want availability to city services on evenings and weekends.
“It’s an issue that’s come up numerous times and last year’s survey confirmed that many people want weekend hours at City Hall,” he said.
Henry agreed that the survey has helped shape the focus of SICTA’s efforts and he thinks it changed the minds of some city council members. When developing this year’s survey, Henry said SICTA sought and received input from city council.
Henry said there was no definite conclusion date for the survey, but he hopes to wrap it up by September.
Last year, SICTA mailed out the surveys in February and taxpayers could also complete the form online.
This year, however, the survey can only be completed on SICTA’s Web site at www.sicta.org.
For the estimated 20 percent of taxpayers who don’t have online access, Henry suggested they use public terminals at the library. He also said SICTA hopes to have computers available for public use at the group’s kiosk in the Sea Isle City Fall Family Festival in September.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
Lower Township – Who are these people that are obvious experts on trash cans and leaf pick-up? Maybe they don't have any trash to put out or leaves in their yard!!
