The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey 2010 and Trends 2006–2010: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes

Abstract

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey (Mat-Su Survey), conducted annually since 2006, is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center at University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The 2010 survey was distributed to 2,088 adult heads-of-household in the Mat-Su Borough in the late summer and fall of 2010; a total of 922 surveys were returned, for a response rate of 45.9%. This sourcebook presents both the results from the 2010 Mat-Su Survey and trends from 2006–2010 in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information. Additionally, findings from a derived importance-performance analysis of the survey data are presented, as is a compilation of respondent comments.INTRODUCTION / Organization of Sourcebook / Methods / Executive Summary of Survey Results / PART I. Evaluation of Current Borough Services / PART II. Use of Borough Facilities / PART III. Life in Matanuska-Susitna Borough Neighborhoods / PART IV. Local Government: Access, Policies and Practices / PART V. Sample Characteristics / PART VI. Derived Importance-Performance Analysis / PART VII. Respondents’ Comments / Policing and Emergency Services / Traffic, Roads, and Snow Removal / Education / Recreational Facilities and Borough Services / Quality of Life / Taxes, Government, and Services / Development and Growth / Zoning and Land Use / Thoughts about the Mat-Su Survey / APPENDIX. Questionnair