Politics & Government

Just How Satisfied are Residents with City of Atlanta Services?

A recent survey conducted with nearly 500 residents showed low ratings for the city's code enforcement services, sidewalk maintenance, pothole repair and the cost of city water service.

The results are in on a survey of residents on their satisfaction levels with selected City of Atlanta services.

Receiving the most positive responses from the 478 residents polled was the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department with 85 percent positive feedback on average. The department received its highest rating on the level of courtesy of fire and emergency medical services call operators (93 percent positive), followed by the response times of fire and EMS personnel.

Other city service-related departments received average ratings (between 42- and 43-percent positive responses) including the Department of Police; the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs; the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Department of Public Works, which received its highest positive rating for weekly garbage and recycling pickup.

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Receiving some of the lowest ratings were the city’s code enforcement services, sidewalk maintenance, pothole repair and the cost of city water service (receiving only 11-percent positive responses).

Many Buckhead residents have voiced concern over high water bills the last few years.

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The survey was conducted April 5 through April 30. Residents were able to complete the survey online at www.atlantaga.gov and through survey forms disseminated at community meetings.

“We are not alarmed at the areas where the city residents want to see improvements,” said City Councilmember Felicia A. Moore, chair of the Finance/Executive Committee, which oversees budgetary funding levels for city departments. “Some improvements will come through better management of our current resources, while other service-related improvements will require increased funding,” Moore said in a news release.

Moore said the city council’s next step will be to sit down with department heads and as well as citizens to prioritize the importance of the services that must be improved upon.

This was the first such city service satisfaction survey conducted by the Atlanta City Council. The respondents represented a cross-section of the city populous.                                                                             

Results of the survey are posted online at on the Atlanta City Council’s website here.

The results of the city services satisfaction level survey comes on the heels of public hearing and interactive live virtual town hall meeting that was held on Thursday, May 10. Residents were able to submit questions “live” through twitter, telephone and email to city officials regarding Atlanta’s proposed FY 2013 $539 million city budget spending priorities.

The proposed 2013 budget calls for $539.8 million in revenue, tighter spending and more police officers, which would bring the force to 2,000, which would represent the largest police force in the city’s history.

Other 2013 budget highlights include:

  • Six new code compliance inspectors
  • Six additional recreation facilities managers
  • An additional $1.1 million in funding for Invest Atlanta, the city's economic development arm

The budget does not include a property tax increase for coming year. 

The city's budget is scheduled to be adopted by the city council during its Monday, June 18 meeting.

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