Limited response to Norfolk survey clouds taking of public pulse

NORFOLK

An unscientific survey has found that the vast majority of the 942 residents who responded want more spending on police and crime prevention, and about 80 percent want their real estate taxes cut or to remain the same.

Distributed to civic leagues, libraries, recreation centers and online, the city-sponsored survey indicates that the City Council's top two spending priorities mirror the public's.

Education and public safety were the chief concerns of council members in an anonymous poll conducted by City Manager Regina V.K. Williams two months ago.

However, the city survey found one difference - the council views economic development as the No. 3 priority. Citizens were more concerned with neighborhood improvements and affordable housing.

The results also differ from a random survey released last month by the Norfolk Tea Party 2, a watchdog group that has pushed for lower taxes and more scrutiny of the budget process. The organization's results showed that 95 percent of residents want lower real estate taxes.

Both surveys reached a limited audience. The Tea Party had a little more than 1,000 returned out of 10,000 made available to the public. The city received 942 responses out of 241,000 residents.

More than 50 percent of respondents to the city survey were 55 or older and more than a quarter were from Ocean View, Bayview and Wards Corner.

"When you take 900 respondents who don't match the demographics of our city, you can't draw fast, sweeping conclusions," Councilwoman Theresa Whibley said.

Even so, Williams said the survey helps her staff formulate the budget.

"I think we had a very good response from around the city," Assistant City Manager Marcus Jones told the council.

Nearly half of the people who responded - 48 percent - want lower real estate taxes. However, 43 percent called for an increase in the meals tax, and 39 percent want to hike the boat tax. Most said trash and water rates should remain the same.

Nearly a third, 30 percent, called for spending less to attract business downtown. Nearly 70 percent want more money spent on public safety.

Councilman Don Williams expressed frustration that the city can't do more to accurately gauge the pulse of the community.

A series of six town hall meetings in 2006 that drew 718 participants did not indicate a vast concern about taxes.

However, a meeting sponsored by the Tea Party a few months later drew 700 residents, most of them angry about rising real estate taxes.

"I want us to be able to feel the pulse of the citizens," Williams said. "But it seems like we haven't quite been able to find out how."

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com