The Arizona We Want:
8 Citizen Goals

As Arizona enters its second century, we need a vision and a roadmap. The eight goals identified to describe The Arizona We Want are firmly grounded in the beliefs and opinions of Arizona citizens. Together they create a citizens' agenda to help guide our collective efforts.

 

CARING FOR THE ECONOMY
Goal 1: Create quality jobs for all Arizonans.
 


SAMPLE STRATEGIES: See examples.

  • Focus on increasing high impact jobs (i.e., private sector jobs with high wages and substantial markets outside the state.)
  • Pay special attention to young, growing companies that typically add more new jobs.
  • Work on regional economic development plans.
  • Expand job training programs.
  • Adopt a separate property tax classification that provides tax relief for high impact businesses.
  • Monitor closely the impact of business tax incentives on job growth and require a Return on Investment in no more than five to seven years.
  • Support annual funding for programs like the "deal-closing" fund.

 

See Goal 1 Scorecard for more detail.

 

RELEVANT SURVEY RESULTS: Only 6% of citizens believe that job opportunities are good in Arizona and only 24% believe the next generation will have a better standard of living than we have
today.

 

Goal 2: Educate Arizonans of all ages for the 21st century.
 

SAMPLE STRATEGIES: See examples.

  • Provide affordable high quality childcare and preschool opportunities in local communities.
  • Implement performance-based education models.
  • Adopt college/career readiness assessments in local schools (e.g., Explore, ACT and BES).
  • Offer Algebra I by 8th grade.
  • Make it easier for students to move between K-12, community colleges and universities.
  • Develop community and school-based programs that begin preparing students for success in college from an early age.
  • Deliver math and science courses to rural areas via e-learning.
  • Strengthen STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education at all levels.

 

See Goal 2 Scorecard for more detail.

RELEVANT SURVEY RESULTS: Only 20% of citizens believe the public schools in their community are "very good." Arizonans support tax dollars being used to ensure that graduating students are college-career ready and that more job training programs are available for people of all ages.

 

CARING FOR PEOPLE

Goal 3: Make Arizona "the place to be" for talented young people.
 

RELEVANT SURVEY RESULTS: Only 11% of citizens believe Arizona is a good place for talented young people, the lowest percentage among seven different population groups. By comparison, 47% believe Arizona is a good place for senior citizens.

 

Goal 3 Scorecard: Under Development

 

Goal 4: Provide health insurance for all, with payment assistance for those who need it.
 

RELEVANT SURVEY POLL RESULTS: Only 23% of citizens rate the accessibility of healthcare in their community as very good, with percentages considerably lower in small cities (18%) and rural areas (17%). After comparing six different ideas for improving health care, citizens support tax dollars being used to provide health insurance for all Arizonans more than other kinds of remedies.

 

Goal 4 Scorecard: Under Development


CARING FOR COMMUNITIES

Goal 5: Protect Arizona's natural environment, water supplies and open spaces.
  SAMPLE STRATEGIES: See examples.
  • Develop state, regional and municipal plans to ensure water delivery.
  • Identify, protect and enhance water sources and watersheds vital to the future.
  • Support 2012 ballot measure to modernize state trust land management.
  • Work with Governor's Forest Health Council to increase acres of healthy forests in Arizona; support new business development for sustainable wood products.
  • Work with the Governor's office and other partners to gain public support for funding critical agencies (e.g., State Parks, Dept. of Water Resources, etc. ).
  • Support investments in developing solar energy resources.

 

See Goal 5 Scorecard for more detail.

RELEVANT SURVEY RESULTS: Among 14 quality of life features, citizens give their highest rating (47%) to the beauty of the state's physical setting and the availability of outdoor parks, trails and open spaces (44%). Citizens support tax dollars being used to provide water management plans statewide and policies that balance population growth with preserving open spaces and recreational opportunities. In addition, citizens support combining tax dollars, private sector funding and consumer price increases to invest in technology and facilities to grow renewable energy resources such as solar (35.1%).


Goal 6: Build a modern, effective transportation system and infrastructure.
 

RELEVANT SURVEY RESULTS: Only 22% of citizens rate the highway and freeway system in their community as "very good." Citizens support tax dollars being used to connect urban areas of the state with mass transit systems, and providing the highways and roads needed statewide.

 

Goal 6 Scorecard: Under Development

 

Goals 7 & 8: Increase civic involvement and citizen connection to one another.
  The Center's work with the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) to develop the 2010 Civic Health Index made it clear that the sense of connection people feel to one another is critical to their participation in civic life. To increase civic involvement beyond a single election or issue, we have to strengthen social connectedness.

SAMPLE STRATEGIES:
  • Develop the partnerships needed to participate successfully in the Five Communities Project.
  • Work with employers to make citizenship an important part of the workplace culture.
  • Create/support programs to recruit and train a new generation of leaders who are committed to seeking elective office at all levels of government.
  • Focus on ways to help citizens stay informed on the issues.
  • Pay special attention to groups whose participation in civic life is low.
  • Explore the role of citizens in building neighborhoods.

 

See Goals 7 & 8 Scorecard for more detail.

 

RELEVANT SURVEY RESULTS: ACTIONS THAT INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT
Only 10% of citizens believe their elected officials are doing a good job and only 10% think their elected officials represent their interests. This disconnect between citizens and elected leaders is confirmed by the findings of the 2010 Arizona Civic Health Index. Arizona ranks 40th in the nation for voter registration and 43rd for voter turnout among eligible citizens. Arizonans are also less likely than the national average to attend public meetings and more than 37% say they do not follow the news or discuss the news regularly.

 

RELEVANT SURVEY RESULTS: ACTIONS THAT BUILD COMMUNITY
Only 12% of citizens in Arizona believe that people in their community care about one another. Only 25% believe it's easy to meet people and make friends in their community, and only 37% believe they are treated with respect at all times. The low sense of connectedness to one another that Arizonans express is confirmed by the findings of the 2010 Arizona Civic Health Index. Arizona ranks 48th in the nation for exchanging favors with neighbors regularly and 45th for eating dinner with family/household members almost daily.