The City of Goleta is releasing results of Goleta’s Next 20 Community Survey which residents were mailed in February 2022 and which many residents completed online over the following weeks. In the survey, community members were asked to rank their community service priorities for the City as it plans for the future.
Here is what we you told us (600 survey responses; importance of community services – high or medium priority):
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Keeping public areas safe and clean |
97% |
|
Paving streets, removing potholes, and improving traffic safety |
95% |
|
Protecting Goleta’s long-term financial stability |
94% |
|
Supporting public safety and maintaining rapid 911 response |
93% |
|
Maintaining open spaces and natural areas |
93% |
|
Preparing for wildfires, floods, natural disasters, and public health emergencies |
93% |
|
Protecting local creeks and coastal waters from pollution |
92% |
|
Conserving water by increasing use of recycled water to irrigate parks and fields |
92% |
|
Preventing brush fires caused by illegal encampments |
91% |
|
Maintaining services for low-income senior citizens and other vulnerable residents |
85% |
|
Addressing homelessness through our Homelessness Strategic Plan |
84% |
|
Helping local businesses rebound and retain the workforce to fill critical jobs |
79% |
|
Improving access to affordable housing for middle- and working-class families |
78% |
|
Supporting and expanding afterschool programs and affordable early childhood/childcare programs |
73% |
Additional Resources are Needed to Address Community Needs
Streets and Roads: The most recent independent road engineers report rated 2/3 of Goleta’s streets and roads as “fair”, “poor”, or “failed”. The City needs additional funding for these street and pothole repairs, which become more expensive to address the longer we wait.
Aging Infrastructure: Twenty years ago, the City inherited many old buildings from the County, including an aging library and a now 95-year-old community center. Additional resources are needed to repair and upgrade aging local infrastructure to ensure our buildings remain safe.
Homelessness: Homelessness is a serious problem in cities across California, and Goleta is no exception. Additional funding is necessary to address homelessness and to support those who are at risk of becoming homeless by connecting them with available non-profit and regional organizations providing emergency shelter, food services, and treatment for mental health and addiction.
Locally Controlled Funding
In addition to the City’s important unfunded projects, Goleta has lost millions of dollars from State takeaways. To provide additional funding to maintain and expand city services and programs, the City Council is considering placing a local 1 cent sales tax measure (adding a penny to a $1 purchase) on an upcoming ballot. Goleta is one of the few cities in the region without its own local, dedicated source of sales tax revenue. 100% of all funds raised by a potential measure would stay in Goleta. Essential purchases such as groceries and prescription medicine, are exempt from sales tax. No funds could be taken away by the State or County, and visitors to Goleta would pay their fair share.
The City Council will be discussing this issue at its June 7 and June 21 meetings. Agendas are available at least 72 hours prior to the meeting at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings.
For more information, go to www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaNext20.