| LovelandPolitics.com |
Loveland City Council approved for staff direction to send out what was euphamistally
called a “policy� survey but appears more like an election survey. Previous
surveys have been limited to asking questions regarding city services to better
understand how well the city is doing in providing public services. Instead, the City
Council has directed staff during their last study session to send out 1,200 surveys by
mail asking such questions about whether the city is growing too fast, how people feel
about affordable housing and if they feel “safe.�
Question number 34 asked (in the version provided to Council) whether the respondent
is Hispanic while another question inquired about race in general with mutiple options
to respond. Walt Skowron objected to this question and was quickly joined by Darryl
Klassen who stated, “this question gives them a special standing as a minority group.
� Some discussion ensued as to why the Hispanic question was not a part of another
question about race which devolved into a discussion about whether or not Hispanic is
a race or just an ethnicity. The City Manager, Don Williams, clarified for Council the
fact that Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is not considered a race but
said he didn’t want to get into that conversation.
The survey company representative hired to conduct the survey for the City Council
stated the reason for the question is to determine whether or not enough Hispanics are
represented so numbers can later be extrapolated later. He explained that if a smaller
number of respondents in the survey identify themselves as “Hispanic� than the
percent they believe live in the community - his company will increase the rating of
those respondents. He stated he often use U.S. Census data to determine how many
Hispanics live in the community and “weight� the Hispanic responses (artificially
increasing their count) to make sure "Hispanic" views are properly tabulated. The
assumption that all Hispanics think a-like and would answer every question similarly
wasn't challenged by anyone at the meeitng.
Darryl Klassen challenged his colleague to collapse question 34 into the question about
race in general and most of the Council agreed. Councilman Pielin said he didn’t
agree but did support the change in his words, “if that gets us to the next topic faster.
�
Results will be provided to the City Council in September – two months before the
next municipal elections. Walt Skowron commented, “It should create some
interesting information for the upcoming Council election.� To which city staff
responded, “well there you go.�
called a “policy� survey but appears more like an election survey. Previous
surveys have been limited to asking questions regarding city services to better
understand how well the city is doing in providing public services. Instead, the City
Council has directed staff during their last study session to send out 1,200 surveys by
mail asking such questions about whether the city is growing too fast, how people feel
about affordable housing and if they feel “safe.�
Question number 34 asked (in the version provided to Council) whether the respondent
is Hispanic while another question inquired about race in general with mutiple options
to respond. Walt Skowron objected to this question and was quickly joined by Darryl
Klassen who stated, “this question gives them a special standing as a minority group.
� Some discussion ensued as to why the Hispanic question was not a part of another
question about race which devolved into a discussion about whether or not Hispanic is
a race or just an ethnicity. The City Manager, Don Williams, clarified for Council the
fact that Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is not considered a race but
said he didn’t want to get into that conversation.
The survey company representative hired to conduct the survey for the City Council
stated the reason for the question is to determine whether or not enough Hispanics are
represented so numbers can later be extrapolated later. He explained that if a smaller
number of respondents in the survey identify themselves as “Hispanic� than the
percent they believe live in the community - his company will increase the rating of
those respondents. He stated he often use U.S. Census data to determine how many
Hispanics live in the community and “weight� the Hispanic responses (artificially
increasing their count) to make sure "Hispanic" views are properly tabulated. The
assumption that all Hispanics think a-like and would answer every question similarly
wasn't challenged by anyone at the meeitng.
Darryl Klassen challenged his colleague to collapse question 34 into the question about
race in general and most of the Council agreed. Councilman Pielin said he didn’t
agree but did support the change in his words, “if that gets us to the next topic faster.
�
Results will be provided to the City Council in September – two months before the
next municipal elections. Walt Skowron commented, “It should create some
interesting information for the upcoming Council election.� To which city staff
responded, “well there you go.�
| Klassen objected to special question for Hispanics |
| Loveland City Council Study Session Pre-Election Poll To Be Taken June 12, 2007 |
Loveland City Council study Session.....more news.....