| SURVEY RESULTS ARE IN |
LovelandPolitics.com
Loveland - September 17, 2007
President Bush’s low national approval ratings have been front page news - which now hover around 37%
(see a website that tracks the various poll numbers) but a recent City of Loveland survey found residents of
Loveland rank their City Council among the lowest in the front range for effectiveness making them even less
popular than the embattled President whose poll numbers are discussed daily in the news media. The low City
Council ratings have not yet reported in Loveland's media nor the regional media for Northern Colorado.
The latest poll taken this week of the President’s approval ratings pegged it at 37% while the poll
conducted by the National Resource Center Inc. in Loveland reported only 3% of city residents rate the
effectiveness of their City Council as “excellentâ€� and only 29% said their effectiveness was “good.â
€� The large majority, 57% of those surveyed, responded according to the National Resource Center Inc. by
circling either poor or fair in response to the question regarding the performance of Loveland’s elected
City Council.
Even the survey company hired by the City of Loveland to poll residents on a number of political topics just
before a city election, admitted the approval rating of the City Council was below the norm for Colorado cities
in the front range where they conducted similar polls. Comparisons of various front range cities were noted
along with the following;
“Normative comparisons for public trust ratings were available for four of the five public trust
questions. Ratings were below the norm for each of the services where comparisons were
available.�
In the conclusions, however, the survey company hired by the City Council lumped the “fair� responses
as positive (even though the survey explained ‘fair’ as 50% or below) providing a somewhat contrived
outcome that gave the City Council a 37% approval rating. Even with the help of this awkward grouping, it
pegs the Loveland City Council in a tie with the President.
In general the survey asked vague questions about “business incentives� or other topics and avoided the
obvious but controversial issues associated with tax dollars going to Centerra. The Council will likely use the
responses to these general questions as support for their actions during the campaign this November. Similar
to the old South African local government surveys, the race of the person responding was included in the
questions.
Among the regrets expressed by Councilors to City staff has been the inclusion of the spurious comments often
scribbled on the back of envelopes or in the comments section of previous year surveys. The surveyor had
intended to discard these comments (as was the practice in years past) when Councilman Walt Skowron asked
that the comments be preserved and published with the survey.
Curiously, the comments don’t necessarily track with the data but appear to be even more frustrated with
the City Council than many of the people who post to the LovelandPolitics.com blog. Much of the survey
shows an indifferent or content public while the comments section is peppered with angry comments about
uncontrolled growth and poor development planning by the city. Even sales tax increases (contemplated for
the expected RTA ballot issue) received uncharacteristically positive responses when it has failed to win
popular approval when placed on the ballot in previous years.
Below are three typical comments of the more than 100 comments made about growth. A quick perusal of
these 100 comments didn’t turn-up any comments in support of current policies. Below is an excerpt of
the comments listed;
1. Growth too rapid-as infrastructure is Behind
2. Growth
3. Too fast growth, poor planning for growth to pay for itself, ie schools, roads etc water and ewer
4. Too much growth too fast. Low income housing issues-brings many problems & expenses to area including
increased crime. Don't want that here.
5. Population growing faster than city can handle-keep it a small town!
6. Growth-too fast
7. Population growth with crime increase
8. Stop growth. Better paying jobs.
9. Urban sprawl
10. Population increase.
11. Stop the growth - improve roads
12. Too much residential building and promoter influence.
13. “Decreasing quality of life as a result of suburban sprawl and increased traffic. Not enough parks or
open space.�
One of the more interesting comments came from a resident who didn’t fill out the survey. Below are the
comments verbatim;
Enclosed is the resident survey you recently mailed to me. You will notice it has not been
completed. My reasons for not wishing to participate in this survey are as follows: as a single
person, living by myself, homebound, I do not feel this can be classified as a 'typical household'.
I am approaching 87 years of age, over 63 of those years have been lived in Loveland. Yes, I have
seen many changes, some of them good, many of them bad! I enjoyed, yes, loved, Loveland the
way it was 40-50 60 years ago, a lovely, friendly little town. Sadly, it is no longer lovely, friendly,
little and I deplore that. Progress, I suppose that is what it is but I wonder how much this area
has really progressed. The opinions of this old resident are of no value; therefore, I prefer to keep
them private. Thank you. Respectfully, resident of 63 years.
One statistical oddity were the responses to the lodging tax. Creating an almost perfect symmetrical pie chart,
those slightly for or against the tax were exactly 15% each and those favoring the tax were 34% and 36%
respectfully.
The City Council will receive a report regarding the survey on Tuesday night Sept. 18 at the City Council
Chambers. Members of the public may want to attend the meeting and comment or you are welcome to post
your comments on our blog site.
President Bush’s low national approval ratings have been front page news - which now hover around 37%
(see a website that tracks the various poll numbers) but a recent City of Loveland survey found residents of
Loveland rank their City Council among the lowest in the front range for effectiveness making them even less
popular than the embattled President whose poll numbers are discussed daily in the news media. The low City
Council ratings have not yet reported in Loveland's media nor the regional media for Northern Colorado.
The latest poll taken this week of the President’s approval ratings pegged it at 37% while the poll
conducted by the National Resource Center Inc. in Loveland reported only 3% of city residents rate the
effectiveness of their City Council as “excellentâ€� and only 29% said their effectiveness was “good.â
€� The large majority, 57% of those surveyed, responded according to the National Resource Center Inc. by
circling either poor or fair in response to the question regarding the performance of Loveland’s elected
City Council.
Even the survey company hired by the City of Loveland to poll residents on a number of political topics just
before a city election, admitted the approval rating of the City Council was below the norm for Colorado cities
in the front range where they conducted similar polls. Comparisons of various front range cities were noted
along with the following;
“Normative comparisons for public trust ratings were available for four of the five public trust
questions. Ratings were below the norm for each of the services where comparisons were
available.�
In the conclusions, however, the survey company hired by the City Council lumped the “fair� responses
as positive (even though the survey explained ‘fair’ as 50% or below) providing a somewhat contrived
outcome that gave the City Council a 37% approval rating. Even with the help of this awkward grouping, it
pegs the Loveland City Council in a tie with the President.
In general the survey asked vague questions about “business incentives� or other topics and avoided the
obvious but controversial issues associated with tax dollars going to Centerra. The Council will likely use the
responses to these general questions as support for their actions during the campaign this November. Similar
to the old South African local government surveys, the race of the person responding was included in the
questions.
Among the regrets expressed by Councilors to City staff has been the inclusion of the spurious comments often
scribbled on the back of envelopes or in the comments section of previous year surveys. The surveyor had
intended to discard these comments (as was the practice in years past) when Councilman Walt Skowron asked
that the comments be preserved and published with the survey.
Curiously, the comments don’t necessarily track with the data but appear to be even more frustrated with
the City Council than many of the people who post to the LovelandPolitics.com blog. Much of the survey
shows an indifferent or content public while the comments section is peppered with angry comments about
uncontrolled growth and poor development planning by the city. Even sales tax increases (contemplated for
the expected RTA ballot issue) received uncharacteristically positive responses when it has failed to win
popular approval when placed on the ballot in previous years.
Below are three typical comments of the more than 100 comments made about growth. A quick perusal of
these 100 comments didn’t turn-up any comments in support of current policies. Below is an excerpt of
the comments listed;
1. Growth too rapid-as infrastructure is Behind
2. Growth
3. Too fast growth, poor planning for growth to pay for itself, ie schools, roads etc water and ewer
4. Too much growth too fast. Low income housing issues-brings many problems & expenses to area including
increased crime. Don't want that here.
5. Population growing faster than city can handle-keep it a small town!
6. Growth-too fast
7. Population growth with crime increase
8. Stop growth. Better paying jobs.
9. Urban sprawl
10. Population increase.
11. Stop the growth - improve roads
12. Too much residential building and promoter influence.
13. “Decreasing quality of life as a result of suburban sprawl and increased traffic. Not enough parks or
open space.�
One of the more interesting comments came from a resident who didn’t fill out the survey. Below are the
comments verbatim;
Enclosed is the resident survey you recently mailed to me. You will notice it has not been
completed. My reasons for not wishing to participate in this survey are as follows: as a single
person, living by myself, homebound, I do not feel this can be classified as a 'typical household'.
I am approaching 87 years of age, over 63 of those years have been lived in Loveland. Yes, I have
seen many changes, some of them good, many of them bad! I enjoyed, yes, loved, Loveland the
way it was 40-50 60 years ago, a lovely, friendly little town. Sadly, it is no longer lovely, friendly,
little and I deplore that. Progress, I suppose that is what it is but I wonder how much this area
has really progressed. The opinions of this old resident are of no value; therefore, I prefer to keep
them private. Thank you. Respectfully, resident of 63 years.
One statistical oddity were the responses to the lodging tax. Creating an almost perfect symmetrical pie chart,
those slightly for or against the tax were exactly 15% each and those favoring the tax were 34% and 36%
respectfully.
The City Council will receive a report regarding the survey on Tuesday night Sept. 18 at the City Council
Chambers. Members of the public may want to attend the meeting and comment or you are welcome to post
your comments on our blog site.
| Loveland City Council Approval Ratings Lower Than Bush in August '07 Survey Council To Officially Receive Poll at Next meeting |
| Click Here To See The Complete Survey Report |
| Above, the almost perfect symetrical results for support of a 3% tourism tax as reported from the taxpayer funded political survey being delivered to Loveland's City Council this Tuesday |
| Enclosed is the resident survey you recently mailed to me. You will notice it has not been completed. My reasons for not wishing to participate in this survey are as follows: as a single person, living by myself, homebound, I do not feel this can be classified as a 'typical household'. I am approaching 87 years of age, over 63 of those years have been lived in Loveland. Yes, I have seen many changes, some of them good, many of them bad! I enjoyed, yes, loved, Loveland the way it was 40-50 60 years ago, a lovely, friendly little town. Sadly, it is no longer lovely, friendly, little and I deplore that. Progress, I suppose that is what it is but I wonder how much this area has really progressed. The opinions of this old resident are of no value; therefore, I prefer to keep them private. Thank you. Respectfully, resident of 63 years. |
| Comments attached to an empty survey envelope |