Survey Says
A recent civic engagement initiative by the United Way of Metro Atlanta, called Metro Voices, Metro Choices, conducted a regionwide telephone survey to find out what citizens believe are the most important issues facing our local communities, and the region as a whole. Some of the results:
When thinking of the local community, public transportation comes up as the single most important issue:
When thinking of the region as a whole, crime becomes the most important issue:
However, when it comes to those issues individuals can do something about, only Racial Tolerance is listed as an issue that a majority of respondents believe they can do a lot about:
Generally, the results seem to show that individuals feel they have the least power to affect the issues most important to them. It’s a heartbreaking conclusion.
There is also room for hope. Among respondents, a majority of respondents believe their communities are headed in the right direction, that the quality of life in the region is excellent or very good, and that they are either currently involved in the community or likely to become involved in the future.
You can make a difference in the results of this initiative. MVMC wants your voice to be heard. In its current phase, MVMC is conducting an online survey to find out where your interests lie. Beginning in September, MVMC will host a series of Town Hall meetings, with a Community Change Summit happening in December. The more people participating in this initiative, the more weight its results will carry among local policy makers, so get involved in creating a better Atlanta.