Spring 2013

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or is likely to take regarding your jurisdiction's workforce layoffs?

In your opinion, to what extent does place-based economic development influence where entrepreneurs choose to launch and grow their businesses?

In your current fiscal year, did your jurisdiction not completely eliminate any service(s)?

Does your jurisdiction provide any fringe benefits (i.e., health care, dental, vision, life insurance, etc.) to current elected officials?

Do you believe lack of information technology (IT) infrastructure is an obstacle to entrepreneurship in your community?

On a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is "perfect fiscal health" and 10 is "fiscal crisis," how would you rate your jurisdiction's overall fiscal health as you expect it to be five years from now?

Does your jurisdiction offer its personnel and/or current retirees both plans (i.e., defined benefit plans for some personnel, defined contribution for others)? (Among those jurisdictions that reported providing retirement income benefits)

Do you believe lack of access to the natural environment is an obstacle to entrepreneurship in your community?

We're interested in getting a general sense about the impact of property-tax exemptions on your jurisdiction's tax revenues. Do you have any houses of public worship, burial grounds, religious tombs, or monuments within your jurisdiction?

Does your jurisdiction offer any kind of retirement health care or other post-employment benefit plans (sometimes referred to as "OPEB") to current elected officials?

Would you say that your unit of government is less able or better able to meet its financial needs in the next fiscal year compared to this fiscal year?

How much of the time do you think you can trust the federal government in Washington to do what is right?

In your opinion, overall, are the property-tax exempt organizations or parcels in your jurisdiction an asset, a liability, or both to your jurisdiction's future fiscal health? (Among jurisdictions reporting the existence of at least one property-tax exempt organization or parcel within them)

What type(s) of public sector labor unions does your jurisdiction currently have?

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in the number of home foreclosures in your jurisdiction?

Whether or not you consider it to be placemaking, is your jurisdiction pursuing, for economic development or any other purpose, anchor businesses located along corridors, nodes, or in center districts?

In your opinion, overall, have the union(s) that represent your employees been an asset, a liability, or neither, to your jurisdiction's fiscal health in the last 12 months?

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in the cost of current government employee health benefits for your jurisdiction?

Whether or not you consider it to be placemaking, is your jurisdiction pursuing, for economic development or any other purpose, form-based codes (alternative regulations to conventional zoning that emphasize building form over land use to create uniform or predictable public spaces)?

To what extent do you personally support or oppose the current Right-To-Work law regarding public sector unions exempting police and fire unions?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or is likely to take regarding actual infrastructure spending?

Regardless of whether you have any placemaking efforts underway, in your opinion, how effective or ineffective for economic development purposes in your jurisdiction is assistance for entrepreneurs and/or small businesses?

In the current fiscal year, did your jurisdiction utilize early retirement incentives or buyouts?

In the next fiscal year, how likely is it that your jurisdiction will utilize a four-day work week?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or is likely to take regarding employees' share of premiums, deductibles and/or co-pays on health insurance?

Do you believe access to capital is an obstacle to entrepreneurship in your community?

Looking forward to the next fiscal year, do you expect your jurisdiction to not completely eliminate any particular service?

Does your jurisdiction offer any kind of retirement income benefits (defined benefit pensions, defined contribution plans, etc.) to retired employees?

Do you believe excessive state tax burden is an obstacle to entrepreneurship in your community?

We're interested in getting a general sense about the impact of property-tax exemptions on your jurisdiction's tax revenues. Do you have any nonprofit land holdings such as conservation easements within your jurisdiction?