Government
What the research shows:- Relatively low participation by voters
- Relatively high use of the ballot initiative process
- Comparatively limited government spending
- Reform Arizona’s tax structure to reflect service- and knowledge-based economy and ensure fairness between businesses and citizens
- Identify specific sources of revenue, other than the state’s General Fund, for specific public programs and services
- Increase voter registration and turnout, especially among the growing Latino population
Arts and Culture
What the research shows:- More National Monuments than any other state
- Better than average number of arts-related businesses
- Close to average public library circulation
- Develop sustained, dedicated funding for a broad range of arts and culture organizations
- Alter current urban planning processes to better accommodate such initiatives as arts and historic districts, low-cost studio space for artists, and space for emerging organizations
- Broaden experiences and opportunities for people to participate in arts and culture
- Collect more arts and culture data to be able to track local and state changes.
- Strengthen arts education in grades K-12
Housing
What the research shows:- Huge housing growth
- High percentage of mobile and manufactured homes
- Slightly above national average in home ownership (but not in rural areas)
- Revitalize older neighborhoods to preserve rental and owned housing stock
- Increase affordable housing overall and maintain affordability as areas revive and prices rise
- Plan to include rental and owned housing at many price levels in new developments whether in downtowns or on urban fringes
- Increase the capacity of community development organizations to build affordable rental and owned housing, work in historic areas, and prepare more residents for the ups and downs of home ownership
- Address rural and reservation housing needs through public-private partnerships and other mechanisms
Transportation
What the research shows:- Many traffic fatalities
- Higher than national average travel time to get to work
- Close to national average of annual miles driven
- High number of motorcycles
- High auto insurance rates
- Ensure that transportation systems and facilities keep up with and support economic growth
- Expand and change transportation choices to accommodate a growing and aging population
- Develop dedicated funding sources for transit and other transportation choices in Tucson and rural areas
- Increase use of technologies to reduce travel times
- Encourage transit-oriented development in metropolitan areas
Environment
What the research shows:- Good biodiversity (plant and animal species)
- High usage of groundwater resources
- Very high energy consumption per capita
- Brown cloud
- Develop mechanisms to more quickly apply scientific insights and discoveries to public policy
- Pay greater attention to the needs of rural water users in the face of continuing drought
- Increase incentives and requirements for water and energy conservation in businesses and homes
- Develop the state’s potential for leadership in sustainable technologies
- Achieve state trust land reform as a model of collaborative problem solving for other environmental issues
As far as the survey of households is concerned, remember that in public opinion polls people can be pretty negative. When I had the opportunity to participate in some focus groups, there was almost a certain amount of pressure to find something wrong, and it was very easy to come up with recommendations for a fix without regard to how it would happen or where the money would come from to make it happen. Still, public opinion is a good thing, and should at least be a strong indication of where our leaders need to focus their efforts.
Finally, as you look at this formidable list of problems, keep in mind that Phoenix is now the fifth largest city in the country, having experienced incredible growth over the past 25 years. There isn't a large city in the country that doesn't have an equally exhaustive list of issues that need to be addressed, and deficiencies that require attention. It's all part of the challenge of managing a large metropolitan area.
You can read the entire How Arizona Compares study, along with the accompanying statistics, methodology, and explanations, at The Morrison Institute for Public Policy web site.
- - - - - - - - - -
Introduction to the How Arizona Compares study
Policy Areas 1 through 5
Policy Areas 6 through 10
