ABOVE is the Survey the City of Grand Terrace provided as the content of Survey Questions that are being polled at a cost of 15,000.00 to collect 300 responses.
This is PUBLIC PROPERTY as it has been paid for with PUBLIC FUNDS... PLEASE USE as you like. Suggestions include: Responding to each question and sending it to the City and to the Press Enterprise or the Sun Telegram or all three... Perhaps print or send extra copies out to neighbors and fellow citizens and ask them to send in their survey answers. This document has been transferred to a Word Document so you may put your comments directly in the text.
The introduction does not indicate this is a survey paid for by the City of Grand Terrace at the cost of $15,900.00. The Caller has a list and has your name address and when you registered to vote, and if you voted on Election Day or by mail in ballot. It is interesting that this information is being incorporated in this poll, including the propensity of the respondent to vote in the “Next” election cycle. These documents are paid for with public funds and thus are public property and subject to public viewing and City Council/Management Review. (One would think). Where it says [DO NOT READ] is a direction for the person making the call, not to give the respondent the direction or hint that alternative answers are available, or Unsure or Refuse to answer is an option. This is one way to insure the answer you get is one of the answers you “Want”. The direction [ROTATE] indicates the reply list will not be read in the same order each call. People only will hear the most familiar or last item on a long list. They don’t list the Highgrove Happenings, Colton Courier, TerraceTruth Blog or the GrandTerraceNews Blog.
There is a qualifying question regarding Library Use, prior to asking about the quality of the Library Services. The same caution is used for the Parks Question.
However, when assessing the City Council’s function there is no qualifying the respondent with: have you attended or watched City Council Meetings on Ch 3? Name 3 of 5 Council Members. Name the City Manager. Prior to asking for a evaluation of their job performance.
The synopsis on the Issues regarding the Senior Villas, High School, AES and Eminent Domain use are Slanted or at best lacking.
The lead In to the Senior Villas does not mention that there is no Public Transportation available at the intended sight. There is a Debt to the city of 15 million that the Citizens will have to pay back. There is a High Density of Population that would never have been approved by any other development within the city. This is not included in the preparatory review of the Blue Mt. Senior Villas prior to soliciting “Support for Building Senior Housing”.
The preparatory statements regarding the High School does not include the information regarding EIR the State has ruled to be insufficient to warrant the site safe. It also leaves out the conflicting use regarding the location of AES Power Plant Adjacent to the High School. Of course we all would like a GT High School. However, for 3000 students, near rail road tracks, on the edge of town in a commercial/industrial area? Perhaps they should ask the respondent, do you know the location of the High School Site, and the use of land around the site, prior to asking an opinion.
The AES Power Plant: The City Council has collectively refused to make a public determination as to their position regarding the application to install the Power Plant. They have been provided the information regarding environmental impact, and operational impact. There is no guarantee that the plant would not eventually be run 24/7 if Demand Requires it. There is no mention that the School Board was assured that the Power Plant was Dead and will never be a power plant again, as part of the Sales Pitch the City Manager made in his selling City RDA Land to the School District.
Eminent Domain use or lack of use: Well, that is true half way. The City RDA and City Manager, and the City’s Chosen Developer have sent out letters threading the use of Eminent Domain to acquire land for Commercial Retail Development. Property owners were threatened negotiate with the developer or face Eminent Domain. Well, some would consider the threat of force the same as force. Ask any police officer if showing your brother your gun, is different than waiving it around and say you had better negotiate a price. EVERY home in Grand Terrace can have its zoning changed without their request to have the zoning change under them. This then would allow the “Commercial Development Reasoning” to apply to every home in Grand Terrace. As unlikely as this total conversion to commercial is, the reality is that the City Manager, City Council have power to change the zoning of your property so that you do not have the full right to use or develop it as the current GT Laws and Codes Exist.
I wonder if the demographic information should also be questioned as to why they are collecting it, and its use.
Finally I think that the City Council should face a rating lower than Poor... That would be the D, on a Report Card. They should have the shame of getting an F if the respondent wanted to rate them such.
I think you have an idea of my opinions on this now folks it is in your capable hands.
Gramps:
PS: I am waiting to receive the “Codes” indicated in the questioner.
I can email you a copy in MSWORD if you request it grandterracenews@yahoo.com
Attachment A
Project Grand Terrace-Community Survey
Hello, may I speak with ________? (IF NOT AVAILABLE--- SCHEDULE CALLBACK] This is ________ with the Western States Policy Research Center a regional opinion research organization. We are conducting a survey about issues facing the Grand Terrace community. Your Opinion is important.
1. What is the most important issue facing your community today?
[PROBE HEAVILY, CAPTURE AND CODE]: ____________
2. Are things in Grand Terrace generally on the tight track or on the wrong track?
1. Right track
2. Wrong track
3. Unsure
4. Refused
3. What is your number one source for news and information about the City of Grand Terrace? [ROTATE]
1. Blue Mountain Outlook
2. Cable Channel 3
3. City of Grand Terrace web site
4. Community Info Board (located in City Hall)
5. Grand Terrace City News
6. Press Enterprise
7. San Bernardino Sun
8. Other: ________ [DO NOT READ]
9. Friends and neighbors
10. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
11. Refused [DO NOT READ]
12. Other: ________ [DO NOT READ]
4. Thinking about the overall job that the Grand Terrance City Council is doing, would you say that they are doing an excellent, good, fair or poor job?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
5. Thinking about the overall job that the Grand Terrance City Council is doing spending your tax dollars, would you say that they are doing an excellent, good, fair or poor job?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
6. How often do you or any member of your household visit the Grand Terrace Branch Library?
1. More than ten times a year
2. Six to ten times a year
3. Three to five times a year
4. Once or twice a year
5. Never
6. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
7. Refused [DO NOT READ]
[IF ANSWERED 1, 2, 3 OR 4 TO Q6]
7. Thinking about the overall job that the Grand Terrace Library Branch is doing, would you say that they are doing an excellent, good, fair or poor job?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
8. How often do you or any member of your household visit a Grand Terrace city park?
1. More than ten times a year
2. Six to ten times a year
3. Three to five times a year
4. Once or twice a year
5. Never
6. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
7. Refused [DO NOT READ]
[IF ANSWERED 1,2,3 OR 4 TO Q8]
9. Thinking about the overall job that the city of Grand Terrace does in maintaining city parks, would you say that they are doing an excellent, good, fair or poor job?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
10. Would you say the equipment at Grand Terrace parks is maintained well or does the city need to work on maintaining equipment better?
1. Park equipment is maintained well
2. City needs to work on maintaining equipment better
3. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
4. Refused [DO NOT READ]
11. NOW I am going to read some issues of concern to some people. Please listen the list of issues and tell me which if any of them are a problem in your neighborhood, choose as many as you’d like?
[PRESS FOR SOMEWHAT OR STRONGLY]
[RANDOMIZE]
1. Boat and RV parking on neighborhood streets
2. Graffiti
3. Fixing Neighborhood streets
4. Crime
5. Neighborhood Traffic Speeds
6. Uneven sidewalks
7. Inoperable cars
8. Property upkeep
9. Trees that need to be trimmed
10. Fireworks
11. Gangs
12. Refused [DO NOT READ]
12. Do you support or oppose the city’s newly installed red light cameras?
[PRESS FOR SOMEWHAT OR STRONGLY]
1. Strongly support
2. Somewhat support
3. Somewhat oppose
4. Strongly oppose
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
13. Do you support or oppose a new high school being built in Grand Terrace?
[PRESS FOR SOMEWHAT OR STRONGLY]
1. Strongly support
2. Somewhat support
3. Somewhat oppose
4. Strongly oppose
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
The city of Grand Terrace in partnership with Corporation for Better Housing is developing a new 6500 square-foot senior center and 120 apartments know as Blue Mountain Senior Villas along with a 3-acre passive park all located on Grand Terrace Road just east of Mount Vernon Avenue. Before development began, the site consisted of 6-acres of dirt for many years and could have been developed for market-rate housing but the council re-zoned the property to allow for higher density and affordable homes for seniors 65 and over, most of home will have very limited incomes. Completion is expected in late 2008.
14. Do you support or oppose the new senior center, Blue Mountain Senior Villas and park?
[PRESS FOR SOMEWHAT OR STRONGLY]
1. Strongly support
2. Somewhat support
3. Somewhat oppose
4. Strongly oppose
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
AES Highgrove LLC is proposing to remove the existing power plant that was deactived in 2001 and build a natural-gas fired peaker power plant further back on the ten acre property on Taylor Road and Main Street in Grand Terrace. The plant would operate only when peak electrical demand requires additional capacity.
15. Do you support or oppose the AES Highgrove LLC power plant?
[PRESS FOR SOMEWHAT OR STRONGLY]
1. Strongly support
2. Somewhat support
3. Somewhat oppose
4. Strongly oppose
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
16. In general where do you go when you want to have dinner at a sit-down restaurant or clothes shopping or to the movies?
[ROTATE]
1. Hospitality Lane
2. Redlands
3. Victoria Gardens
4. Somewhere else: __________ (please specify)
5. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
6. Refused [DO NOT READ]
17. Why do you eat and shop there, what about [CHOICE FROM Q16] attracts you there? [PROBE HEAVILY, CAPTURE AND CODE]: ________
18. If you could choose any retail store to come to Grand Terrace, what would it be?
[PROBE HEAVILY, CAPTURE AND CODE]: ________________
19. If more retail stores were to be developed in Grand Terrace would you prefer to shop in Grand Terrace rather than outside the city?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
4. Refused [DO NOT READ]
Eminent domain is the practice by government of taking private property without the owner’s consent. In California the law requires government agencies to compensate the property owner for the market value of the property prior to the taking. The Grand Terrace Redevelopment Agency is prohibited from using Eminent Domain on residentially zone properties.
The City of Grand Terrace has never used eminent domain to acquire private property for any purpose. In the future, would you support or oppose the City using eminent domain for the following purposes?
[PRESS FOR SOMEWHAT OR STRONGLY IF OPPOSE]
1. Support to acquire land for public roads or roadway improvements
2. Support to acquire land for public parks or park improvements
3. Support to acquire land for a new privately owned retail center or commercial center or expansion of an existing privately owned retail or commercial center on commercially zoned land
4. Somewhat oppose
5. Strongly oppose
6. Unsure [DO NOT READ]
7. Refused [DO NOT READ]
And now just a few questions for demographic purposes only.
21. Do you own or rent your home?
[PRESS FOR TYPE]
1. Own home
2. Own condo or town home
3. Own mobile home
4. Rent home
5. Rent condo or townhome
6. Rent mobile home
7. Refused [DO NOT READ]
22. Do you have any children or grand children that participate in Grand Terrace sports leagues such as soccer, little league or basketball?
1. Yes
2. No
3 Refused [DO NOT READ]
23. Are there any children in your household that are presently or will be of high school age within the next five years?
1. Yes
2. No
3 Refused [DO NOT READ]
24. Which category best describes your ethnic background?
1. White/Caucasian
2. Black
3. Asian
4. Latino/Hispanic
5. American Indian
6. Other
7. Refused [DO NOT READ]
25. Which category best describes your household’s income?
1. Under $20,000
2. $20,000 - $35,000
3. $35,000 - $50,000
4. $50,000—75,000
5. $75,000 - $100,000
6. Over $100,000
7. Refused [DO NOT READ]
Thank you for your time. Have a great (day/evening).
CROSS TABULATIONS:
Gender (from sample)
1. Male
2. Female
Party (from sample)
1. Democratic
2. Republican
3. Decline to state
4. Other
Age group (from sample)
1. 18-34
2. 35-54
3. 55-64
4. 65 and older
Geographic (from sample)
1. TBD
2. TBD
3. TBD
Vote propensity (from sample)
1. 5 out of 5
2. 4out of 5
3. 3out of 5
4. 2out of 5
5. l out of 5
6. 100% not having had the chance
7. New registrant
Type of voter (from sample)
1. Permanent vote-by-mail
2. Election Day voter
Are there any children under 18 living in your home?
1. Yes
2. No
3 Refused Registration date?
1. Less than a year
2. Up to 5years
3. Up to 10 years
4. Up to 20 years
5. More than 25 years
7. Refused
Which category best describes your ethnic background?
1. White/Caucasian
2. Black
3. Asian
4. Latino/Hispanic
5. American Indian
6. Other
7. Refused
Which category best describes your household’s income?
1. Under $20,000
2. $20,000-$35,000
3. $35,000 - $50,000
4. $50,000 — 75,000
5. $75,000 - $100,000
6. Over $100,000
7. Refused
Do you own or rent your home?
1. Own home
2. Own condo or townhome
3. Own mobile home
4. Rent home
5. Rent condo or townhome
6. Rent mobile home
7. Refused
