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Survey Says Pinellas Residents Satisfied with County Government

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More than 90 percent of those answering a citizens satisfaction survey said they would recommend Pinellas County as a place to live and retire.

PINELLAS COUNTY – Ninety-three percent of Pinellas residents have confidence and trust in their local government, and most would recommend the county as a place to live, retire, work and raise children, according to the county’s 2018 Citizen Values Survey.

The statistically valid telephonic survey was conducted for a seventh consecutive year by the research firm HCP Assocs. and presented to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners earlier this month. It provided an overwhelmingly positive view of citizens’ satisfaction with living in Pinellas County.

The 93 percent trust and confidence rating for Pinellas County government’s handling of county issues matched last year’s rating and was 23 percent higher than the Gallup Poll national average, an increase of 1 percent in the gap.

Quality of life and optimism sentiments rose again. Seventy-four percent of those surveyed perceived their quality of life to be better or just as good as compared with five years ago, an increase of 3 percent over last year and 5 percent over 2016. And 88 percent projected the next five years to be better or just as good as the present, an increase of 3 percent over last year and 4 percent over 2016.

Once again, more than 90 percent of respondents indicated they would recommend Pinellas County as a place to live and retire. Specifically, 92 percent said they would recommend the county in both of those categories. Citizens also recommended the county as a place to work and raise children, with 77 and 82 percent, respectively, responding affirmatively.

Ken Welch | PInellas County Commission | Politics
Ken Welch

“It is exciting to see that our citizens continue to find Pinellas County a great place to call home,” Commission Chair Ken Welch said. “We reach out to our residents every year to get their feedback, and we work hard with our partners each day to address our common goals.”

Citizens were also asked to rate their expectations and experiences for several aspects of community life. Areas in which high expectations and experiences aligned the closest were presence of parks and public spaces; cultural events, social activities and recreation opportunities; and presence of communities where residents can live, work and play. Areas showing the largest gaps were traffic flow on major roads, availability of mental health resources, and housing affordability.

The survey demonstrated that Pinellas County is working to meet citizens’ expectations. Alignment between expectations and experiences has risen from 83 percent in 2015 to 88 percent this year.

“These survey results continue to show that we are doing things to meet and exceed our citizens’ expectations,” said Mark S. Woodard, Pinellas county administrator. “The board and our employees are committed to fulfilling our vision: to be the standard for public service in America.”

The survey consisted of 800 completed calls to land line and cell phone calls, divided among four county geographic areas. It has a plus or minus margin of error of 3.5 percent. To view the highlights and results, go to pinellascounty.org.

Pinellas County | Citizens Survey | Government | Ken Welch | Mark Woodard | Tampabay News

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