Overview This report provides the findings from a probability survey of 407 City of Maryland Heights registered voters conducted during the week of April 27, 2009. The questions cover the City’s direction and livability, what residents like and dislike about the City, what problems they see in the near future, what they want the City to concentrate on during the forthcoming year, ratings of City services, assessment of regulatory enforcement, feelings about safety, usage of the community center, usage of and reactions to the City’s web site and newsletters, opinions about financial issues and the City’s revenue adequacy, projected use of a possible Metrolink line in Maryland Heights, views on the value of diversity, internet usage, and residential employment patterns. If results by subgroup (e.g., age, gender, ward) are not reported, it means they did not differ significantly from the overall distribution.
Quality of Life City Direction. Eighty-eight percent of the citizens say “things in Maryland Heights are generally going in the right direction,” 5% think they are “off on the wrong track,” 4% have a mixed assessment, and 3% express no opinion.
The share responding “right direction” is similar to the results from the last three years: 84% in 2008, 86% in 2007, and 81% in 2006.
Place to Raise a Family. Forty-eight percent think Maryland Heights is an excellent place to raise a family with an additional 47% replying that it is a good place to do so. Three percent say it is only fair, no one rates it as poor, and 2% express no opinion.
The combined excellent/good ratings (95%) continue the high ratings achieved in 2008 (94%), 2007 (91%), and 2006 (94%).
As in earlier surveys, the ratings are even higher among those with children 18 or younger (98% excellent or good).
Trend: Past Five Years. Forty percent say Maryland Heights is an even better place to live compared to five years ago, 51% think it is about the same, 4% regard it as worse, and 5% express no opinion.
The better share (40%) is a bit higher than last year’s 37% and closer to the assessment in earlier years (43% in 2007, 47% in 2006, and 44% in 2005). The proportion replying worse (4%) has not increased from earlier surveys. Second Ward residents are more likely to see improvement (51% better) while First Ward citizens a bit less positive (33% better).
Projection: Next Five Years. Looking ahead five years, 38% predict Maryland Heights will be an even better place to live, 47% think it will be about the same, 7% say it will be worse, and 8% express no opinion.
Optimism about the future is higher than last year’s 33% but still trails previous years (47% better in 2007, 48% better in 2006, 45% better in 2005). The pessimism level is not significantly higher. Optimism about the future is higher among those who have lived in Maryland Heights twenty years or more (44% better) and women (44% better).
What Do Residents Like Most? Citizens were asked what they like most and second most about Maryland Heights. In all, 661 responses were given. The base for calculating percentages is 407 (the entire sample) so that the proportions reported below total more than 100%.
As always, the City’s central location tops the list but its frequency declined from 51% in 2008 to 37% in 2009. Citizens cite its convenience for reaching the rest of the metropolitan area, its proximity to major highways, and its being near many employment and recreational opportunities.
Remaining second with 35% (about the same as 2008's 36% up from 30% in 2007 and 20% in 2006) is the quality/number/value of the City’s services apart from police and parks/recreation, each of which is categorized separately. Mentioned most often are free trash pickup, recycling, and reasonable taxes for the services received.
Third is parks/recreation facilities/programs with 21%, up from 16% in 2008.
Fourth is sense of community/friendly people (16%), slightly lower than previous years (20% in 2008, 21% in 2007 and 19% in 2006).
Tied for fifth and sixth are safety/security/police quality with 12% each, down slightly from its 16% in 2008, and trees/open space/quiet, up to from its 7% in 2008.
The remaining categories (with percent mentions) are “everything” (9%), schools (6%), growing area (6), clean (3%), shopping (3%), restaurants/entertainment (2%), and diversity (1%).
What Do Residents Dislike Most? Citizens were also given two chances to state what they disliked most about Maryland Heights. The 255 negatives mentioned are just about 38% of the positive features volunteered. Again, the base for calculating percentages is the total sample (407).
Again finishing first is traffic with 10%, the same as 2008 but up from 7% in 2007. It is followed by government waste/unresponsiveness at 7%, down from 10% in 2008. Complaints about the City Hall construction continue to be the most common concern within this category. Next are overdevelopment (6%) especially in the Howard Bend area, lack of retail especially groceries (5%), deteriorating neighborhoods (5%), high taxes (4%), street conditions (4%), too many regulations/too strict enforcement (4%), police being unresponsive/impolite (3%), too much rental property (3%), casinos (3%), yard waste disposal(2%), too few biking trails (1%), no indoor swimming pool (1%), stray animals (1%), crime (1%), too few sidewalks (1%), noise (1%), and storm water control (1%).
Problems. Toward the end of the survey, citizens were asked what they thought were the two biggest problems facing Maryland Heights during the next five years. Percentages are again expressed as the proportion of the 407 citizens in the overall sample.
Traffic congestion continues to be mentioned most often (16%) but down considerably from 2008's 26% and 2007's 27%. Rising from fourth to second is business attraction/retention, up to 15% as compared to 9% in 2008. Third is deteriorating housing/neighborhoods (14%), down from last year’s 19%. It is followed by declining municipal revenue/tax base (11%), crime/safety (10%), managing growth (8%), managing diversity (4%), street deterioration (3%), loss of open space (3%), storm water control (2%), declining schools (2%), incompetent City officials/programs (1%), an aging population (1%), and lack of sidewalks (1%).
City Goals. Also late in the polling, respondents were asked to propose up to three goals for the City of Maryland Heights for the next twelve months. Again, the complete sample (407)is the base for the percentages.
Remaining first is maintaining/improving roads at 17%, the precise percentage it received in 2008 and 2007. It is followed by maintaining/improving safety (10%), expanding/improving parks/recreation (9%), business attraction/retention (9%), improving governmental efficiency/lowering taxes (8%), combating neighborhood/housing deterioration (7%), lessening traffic congestion (4%), more/better two-way communications with citizens (4%), improving schools (3%), more programs/assistance for older adults (2%), more sidewalks (2%), better storm water control (1%), better tree trimming (1%), more street lighting (1%), attracting Metrolink (1%), and improved trash services (1%).
Rating City Services
Parks and recreation facilities and police department performance continue to receive the highest ratings from citizens but they have been joined by trash collection at the top of the list. The other services are also very favorably assessed.
Parks and Recreation Facilities. Fifty percent rate the parks and recreational facilities as excellent, 44% say they are good, 3% only fair, 1% poor, and 2% express no opinion.
The combined excellent/good scores (94%) match the highest ever achieved last year but the assessments in earlier years were also very positive: 91% excellent/good in both 2007 and 2006, 90% in 2005, 89% in 2004, 88% in 2003, and 90% in 2002. The ratings are high across all segments.
Police Department. Forty-two percent rate the Maryland Heights police department’s performance as excellent, 47% say it is good, 6% only fair, 1% poor, and 4% express no opinion.
The aggregated excellent/good marks (89%) are the same as 2008 and slightly higher than those received in earlier years: 87% in 2007 and 2006, 84% in 2005, 85% in 2004, 87% in 2003 and 2002.
Among those who have had direct contact with the police department during the past two years (41% of the respondents), the marks are slightly higher: 48% excellent, 43% good, 5% only fair, 2% poor, and 1% no opinion.
Trash Collection. Forty-nine percent rate their trash collection as excellent, 45% good, 5% only fair, and 1% poor. The excellent/good total (94%) is up from 2008 (89%) and is significantly higher than earlier years: 2007 (79%), 2006 (79%), 2005 (73%), 2004 (66%), and 2003 (52%).
Ninety percent of the citizens say their households are participating in the recycling program. Those not doing so (9% of the respondents) were asked why they were not involved. Three percent say they use facilities provided by their multifamily development, 2% say it takes too much time, 2% reply they do not have enough material eligible for recycling, 1% use some other facility (school or church), and 1% decline to say.
Street Maintenance. Street maintenance scores are 29% excellent, 58% good, 10% only fair, 2% poor, and 1% no opinion. The combined excellent/good (87%) is one point above the 2007 mark (86%) and has climbed from 75% in 2004.
Storm Water Control. Eleven percent say storm water control in Maryland Heights is excellent, 61% good, 10% only fair, 6% poor, and 12% express no opinion. The combined excellent/good ratings (72%) are essentially the same as 2008's 74% and 2007's (75%) and about the same as the three years prior to that when it was either 71% or 72%.
Recreation Programs. Thirty-three percent rate the recreation programs as excellent, 47% say they are good, 4% only fair, 0% poor, and 16% express no opinion. These marks (80% excellent/good) retain the progress that has been made between 2005 (74% excellent/good), 2007 (81% excellent/good), and 2008 (79% excellent/good).
Street Lighting. Street lighting “throughout the City of Maryland Heights” is rated as excellent by 17%, good by 66%, only fair by 13%, poor by 2%, and 2% express no opinion. The combined excellent/good scores (83%) are higher than the last four years:
79% (2008), 74% (2007), 76% (2006), and 74% (2005).
For the “level of street lighting in your residential neighborhood,” 64% like the amount they have now, 32% desire more, 3% less, and 1% express no opinion. This is similar to earlier years’ findings: 2008 (58% same/38% more/3% less) 2007 (53% same/43% more/2% less), 2006 (56% same/41% more/2% less), and 2005 (56% same/41% more/2% less). Women are more likely to want additional light (38% more) than are men (26% more).
Spending Effectiveness. Thirteen percent think the City does an excellent job spending tax dollars effectively, 61% say it does a good job, 16% only fair, 4% poor, and 6% express no opinion. The combined excellent/good scores (74%) are slightly higher than 2008's 71% and 2007's (70%) and also above 2006's (66%). Women assign higher ratings (79% excellent/good) than do men (69% excellent/good).
Those replying “only fair” or “poor” were asked “what concerns you the most about the way Maryland Heights spends your tax dollars?” Five percent think too much money was spent on the new governmental center, 3% disagree with City priorities (streets are mentioned most ofen), 3% say there should be greater transparency and citizen input, and 1% have problems with the Howard Bend project. No other item was mentioned by more than one respondent.
Citizen Advice and Input. Eleven percent say the City does an excellent job getting advice and input from citizens, 52% a good job, 18% only fair, 7% poor, and 12% express no opinion. These results resemble those from the last three years: 2008 (13% excellent, 53% good, 20% only fair, 5% poor); 2007 (13% excellent, 50% good, 18% only fair, 8% poor); and 2006 (13% excellent, 51% good, 19% only fair, 8% poor). Women give better marks (70% excellent/good) than do men (54% excellent/good).
The results by ward are:
Excellent Good Only Fair Poor DK-NA
First Ward 12% 48% 19% 4% 19%
Second Ward 12% 47% 18% 11% 11%
Third Ward 9% 49% 21% 9% 12%
Fourth Ward 11% 60% 15% 6% 8%
Overall City Performance. Looking at all the things the City government does, 18% rate its overall performance as excellent, 64% good, 13% only fair, 1% poor, and 4% express no opinion.
These results are quite similar to the last four years: 2008 (19% excellent, 62% good, 15% only fair, 2% poor); 2007 (18% excellent, 61% good, 15% only fair, 3% poor); 2006 (19% excellent, 63% good, 13% only fair, 3% poor); and 2005 (19% excellent, 64% good, 11% only fair, 4% poor). The previous three years (2002-2004) had seen a slow but steady rise in the share assigning an excellent rating, from 2002's 12% to the 18% or 19% of the last five years.
Citizen Contact Thirty-five percent of the respondents have contacted the City of Maryland Heights during the past twelve months, down slightly from the 38% who did so in 2008 and the 41% in 2007.
Among those making contact, 24% were extremely satisfied with the way the contact was handled, 39% very satisfied, 19% somewhat satisfied, 9% not very satisfied, and 9% not at all satisfied.
The combined extremely/very satisfied share (63%) is the highest ever, above 2008's 58%, 2007's 55%, and 2006's 57%. All are up from 50% in 2002. The not-at-all satisfied share has gone from double digits in 2001-2003 to single digits the last six years.
Enforcing Regulations Residential Codes. Fifty-eight percent think the City’s residential code enforcement is about right, 13% find it too strict, 18% not strict enough, and 11% express no opinion. These results are similar to the last three years: 2008 (60% about right, 13% too strict, 19% not strict enough); 2007 (62% about right, 10% too strict, 19% not strict enough); and 2006 (57% about right, 13% too strict, 17% not strict enough).
Traffic Regulations. Seventy-four percent think the City’s enforcement of traffic regulations is about right, 13% say it is not strict enough, 8% reply it is too strict, and 5% express no opinion. The “about right” share is statistically identical to last year’s 75% and 2007's 76%.
Safety Daytime. Eighty-one percent of the residents always feel safe walking around their neighborhood during the day, 18% usually feel safe, one respondent sometimes feels unsafe, and two persons report usually feeling unsafe. These numbers are similar to 2008 (83% always safe/14% usually safe), 2007 (78% always safe/18% usually safe) and 2006 (81% always safe, 15% usually safe). Unlike 2007 and earlier when those 65 and over and women had lower “always safe” shares, last year and this year there are no statistically significant differences by age or gender.
Nighttime. The proportion feeling always safe walking around their neighborhood after dark is 40%. Another 41% usually feel safe, 10% sometimes feel unsafe, 3% usually feel unsafe, and 6% decline to say. The share feeling always safe has dropped from 50% in 2008. In earlier years it was 44% in 2007, 51% in 2006, and 48% in 2005. On the other hand, the share sometimes or usually feeling unsafe (13% in 2009) is the almost the same as 2008's 14%. As in previous years, women are less likely to always feel safe (30% always safe).
Children. Thirty-one percent say their neighborhood is very safe for children playing unattended during the day, 46% think it is somewhat safe, 9% somewhat unsafe, 4% very unsafe, and 10% express no opinion. The 31% very safe is down from 2008's 40% but closer to 2007's 32%. The somewhat or very unsafe shares, however, are similar for the two years: 14% in 2009, 12% in 2008.
Parents of children 18 or under have a statistically similar distribution to the overall population. Their response shares are 33% very safe, 40% somewhat safe, 11% somewhat unsafe, and 4% very unsafe.
City Services: Value Received
Internal Assessment. After being informed that “the City of Maryland Heights gets most of its general revenues from three sources: gaming taxes, its share of the County-wide sales tax pool, and taxes on utilities like electricity and telephones (and that) it does not have a property tax (and) those (property tax) dollars go to other jurisdictions like school districts and fire protection district, respondents were asked to “consider the services you receive from the City of Maryland Heights compared to the taxes you pay to the City.” Fifteen percent (4% a lot, 11% somewhat) say their household receives more than its money’s worth, 70% say they get about their money’s worth, 7% (2% a lot, 5% somewhat) less than their money’s worth, and 8% express no opinion.
The response distribution is very similar to 2008's: 15% more, 71% about their money’s worth, 11% less even though, for the first time this year, respondents were given additional information about the taxing structure, including the fact that the City does not tax property.
Here are the results by ward:
More Same Less DK-NA
First Ward 12% 72% 6% 10%
Second Ward 15% 62% 11% 11%
Third Ward 16% 70% 7% 7%
Fourth Ward 16% 70% 7% 7%
External Assessment. Asked to “compare the city services Maryland Heights residents receive for the taxes they pay to the services of other municipalities in St. Louis County,” 40% (14% a lot, 27% somewhat) think “Maryland Heights provides more service value for the tax dollar than most other municipalities,” 35% about the same value, 3% (1% a lot, 2% somewhat) less, and 21% express no opinion. The 2008 results were similar: 42% more, 38% same, 4% less, 16% no opinion.
Here are the results by ward:
More Same Less DK-NA
First Ward 34% 38% 2% 25%
Second Ward 37% 32% 7% 14%
Third Ward 44% 33% 2% 21%
Fourth Ward 42% 38% 3% 17%
Allocating Gaming Revenues After being informed that “currently the City of Maryland Heights uses about 70% of its gaming tax revenues for one-time projects like street improvements (and that) the remaining 30% goes for operating expenses for services and salaries,” 63% say they prefer the current allocation, 11% want more than 70% to go for capital projects, 15% less than 70%, and 11% express no opinion.
These results mirror 2008's: 56% current allocation, 13% more, 17% less, and 14% no opinion.
In 2006 and 2007, when the split was 75% capital/25% operating, 63% (2007) and 59% (2006) supported the status quo.
Community Center Usage Twenty-one percent used the City of Maryland Heights Community Center eleven or more times during the past twelve months, 9% six to ten times, 16% three to five times, 27% once or twice, and 27% not at all.
The patronage level is lower than 2008 (25% eleven or more, 12% six to ten) but similar to 2007's (19% eleven or more, 13% six to ten).
Six-and-up usage (30% overall) is highest among parents of children 18 or under (40%).
Community Involvement
Interest. Four percent are extremely interested in “becoming more involved in community and civic affairs in Maryland Heights,” 8% very interested, 39% somewhat interested, 29% not very interested, and 20% not at all interested. These results are almost identical to 2008's: 5% extremely interested, 8% very, 37% somewhat, 30% not very, and 18% not at all. Being extremely or very interested (12% overall) is higher among those with children 18 or under (20%).
Familiarity. Those saying they were extremely, very, or somewhat interested in becoming more involved in community and civic affairs were then asked “if you wanted to become more involved in community and civic affairs, how familiar are you with you how you might arrange to do that?” Of this group, 12% say they are extremely familiar, 26% very familiar, 31% somewhat familiar, 18% not very familiar, 12% not at all familiar, and 1% decline to say. Familiarity about how to become involved was lower in 2008: 9% extremely familiar, 11% very, 36% somewhat, 23% not very, and 20% not at all.
Light Rail: Projected Usage After being told that “at some point Metrolink might extend light rail service from Clayton to Maryland Heights (and) Maryland Heights residents would then be able to use it to travel to places like Clayton and Downtown St. Louis,” residents were asked how often a year they would use it.
Eleven percent say they would use it 50 times or more a year, 14% 20 to 49 times, 17% 10 to 19 times, 15% 5 to 9 times, 18% 1 to 4 times, 22% would not use it, and 3% decline to say. These potential usage estimates are down slightly from 2008: 16% 50 or more, 14% 20 to 49 times, 16% 10 to 19 times, 15% 5 to 9 times, 17% 1 to 4 times, and 16% not at all.
Twenty-or-more annual trip projected usage (25% overall) is highest among Second Ward residents (39%).
Racial and Ethnic Diversity Thirteen percent think it is extremely important “that the residential population of Maryland Heights be racially and ethnically diverse,” 22% say it is very important, 34% somewhat important, 19% not very important, 11% not at all important, and 1% decline to say.
The extremely/very important share (35%) is almost identical to last year’s 33%, down from 2006 (41%) and 2005 (40%), and essentially the same as the 34%-35% from the 2002-2004 surveys.
Those most likely to consider racial and ethnic diversity extremely or very important are those who have lived in Maryland Heights ten years or less (50% extremely/very important), those ages 18 to 34 (45% extremely/very important), and those with children 18 or under (42%).
City Communications Web Site. Fifty-nine percent of the residents have visited the City of Maryland Heights web site at least once during the past twelve months, down slightly from 63% in 2008 but up from 52% in 2007, and 43% in 2006.
Five percent have visited the site 20 or more times, 8% 10 to 19 times, 14% 5 to 9 times, 12% three or four times, 20% once or twice, and 41% not at all.
Visiting the web site ten or more times (13% overall) is more common among parents of children 18 or under (21%).
Of those using the web site, 15% rate it excellent, 61% good, 19% only fair, 1% poor, and 4% express no opinion. The combined excellent/good ratings (77%) are virtually the same as 2008 (76%) and 2007 (76%).
Eighty-four percent of the registered voters can access the internet from their home, down slightly but not significantly from 2008 (87%) and the same as 2007. Prior to 2007, the levels were in the mid-seventies. Access is higher among parents of children 18 or under (96%) and those ages 18 to 64 (89%) and lower among those 65 and older (58%).
Newsletter. Fifty percent report reading each of the City’s newsletters during the past year, 34% read most of them, 12% a few, 1% one, 2% none, 1% decline to say. Readership is up slightly from 2008 (46% all, 32% most) and about the same as in 2007 (51% all, 34% most). Reading all the newsletters is more prevalent among those 65 and older (61% all) and those who have lived in Maryland Heights 20 years or longer (57% all).
Those reading the newsletter continue to rate it highly: 30% excellent, 59% good, 9% only fair, and only two people score it as poor.
Slightly more than one-third of the respondents volunteered an answer to “what additional information would you like to see in the City’s newsletter either on a monthly or quarterly basis?” Receiving one percent or more from the total sample are expanded activity/event calendar (5%), project construction updates (5%), crime reports (4%), City budget information (2%), City meeting notices/minutes (2%), restaurant reviews (2%), human interest/citizen accomplishment stories (2%), new business openings (2%), City programs/services (1%), and community history (1%).
Sixty-six percent prefer to have the City newsletter mailed to their home, 7% opt for receiving it via e-mail, 26% are comfortable with either delivery approach, and 1% express no opinion.
Residential Employment Patterns From the 407 sample households, there are 462 persons who currently work 35 hours or more a week. Out of these 462, 95 (or 21%) work inside the City of Maryland Heights. This is almost the same as last year (20%). Within City employment share hit its high point (25%) in 2006.
Concluding Comments Maryland Heights citizens are quite positive about their community. They give their City services and facilities–especially police protection, parks and recreation opportunities, and trash collection–extraordinarily high marks. This happens year after year, in both good and not-so-good economic times.
Citizens continue to concur that the City strikes the right balance on enforcing its residential code and traffic regulations, being neither too strict nor too lenient. Strong majorities think the City is a good steward of their tax dollars including the 70% capital/30% operating split among gaming revenues. A healthy share of the residents acknowledge that City services and programs are a major strength and, compared to other St. Louis County municipalities, a real bargain.
Maryland Heights citizens visit the City’s read the City’s newsletter regularly and visit its web site frequently. They give the City high marks for seeking their advice and keeping them informed.
In sum, Maryland Heights residents think they have made an excellent residential choice and appreciate the local government services they receive.
Methodology The interviews were conducted between April 27 and May 3, 2009. Only registered voters were included in the survey. For results based on the entire sample, the sampling error, at the 95% confidence level, is plus-or-minus 5%. The sampling error is higher, up to plus-or-minus 8%, for results based on a portion of the sample. Because of rounding, not all totals are precisely 100%. The survey was directed by Dr. E. Terrence Jones.