UPDATE: The Strategic Plan Committee presented the results of its citizen survey to the City Council on Tuesday, March 26th. Sharon Alexander attended the presentation and reported the following:
I attended the Torrance City Council meeting tonight. The Strategic Plan Committee presented the results of its citizen survey to the City Council tonight:
Traffic congestion, housing costs/homelessness, local refinery issues, crime, condition of local streets, polluted stormwater runoff flowing to ocean and beaches are the main issues. Not mentioned: trees and greenery, drinking water issues. What people do want most of all is a safe city and an environmentally friendly and sustainable city.
Two-thirds think the city government is doing a good job but not as good as a few years ago. Lowest satisfactions were for: senior programs, maintenance of streets and sidewalks, programs to retain and attract businesses. Half of the population has had direct contact with the City government. Three-quarters are satisfied with the City’s communication efforts. Half the people rate the City’s website as helpful. Surveys were conducted in English, Spanish, and Japanese.
Business survey results:
The business community rates Torrance highly as business friendly. City government is responsive, licensing is easy, taxes low. Convenient location. Good services, safe streets, infrastructure. 92% expect to stay in Torrance; 2/3 expect to grow their business.
Reducing traffic congestion is their biggest concern. Highest priority for investment: Invest in New technology (city-wide broadband) to make Torrance a Smart City, a conference center and affordable housing. Strongest suggestion for improvement: Improve transportation, traffic, parking, fix and maintain streets.
Minority groups have overtaken the white population and constitute the majority of Torrance residents. Asians are just below whites in numbers, and combined with Hispanic overtake white numbers. Health care services are up 65% as is happening all over LA. Nothing else has moved considerably. Manufacturing output is staying stable, even slightly increased, but employment has declined somewhat. Housing affordability is impacting accessing the employees needed. This impacts city employees as well. There is a younger workforce and bigger turnover. Employees are not looking at long-term career with city government. Looking at jobs as temporary stepping stones. Looking at what they can accomplish in 2-3 years rather than long-term. Working with ew technology: equipment maintenance, public records, Data transfer and storage, wifi, 5G. Working with body cam footage. Other Concerns: Measures M, R, SB1, W, Refinery (regulations), balancing and bringing in revenue to pay for roads and services? Age 55-59 is leaving.Younger populations are increasing higher than would be expected.
Reporter: Sharon Alexander
Citizen appointments to the Strategic Plan Committee: Ronald J. Mataalii, Jim Montgomery, Gene Higginbotham, Sue Herbers, Mike Moran, Matthew M. Hadnett, Kurt Weideman, Todd Hayes, Amy Josefek, Laurie Love, Mario Obejas, Jeremy Gerson, Kay Grundhaus, Sean Yamaguchi, Annie Chen, Russell Akiyama, and Matt Staal.
Click below to see the recently completed surveys for the City of Torrance:
