New Castle Home Rule Charter

Home Rule Charter Study Commission Citizen Survey

In November of 2019, the City voters approved a question to study the existing form of government and to consider the advisability of the adoption of a new charter that would change the structure of the local government. In order to assist and inform the Home Rule Charter Study Commission’s process, we request that you respond to the following short survey that is designed to gather information from residents of the City about their local government.

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* 1. Are you a resident of the City:

Yes

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* 2. If you are a resident, please enter your address.

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* 3. What characteristics are most important to you for your City government? Please rank from most important (1) to least important (7).

Financial Responsibility

Responsiveness to Residents Needs

Transparency - Open Records and Meetings

Accountability to Residents

Access to City Services

Fairness and Consistency

Opportunity to Participate

Other

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* 4. If you have a question, complaint, or request for service, how would you prefer to submit it:

Telephone Call

Telephone Text

Website Link

In Person Meeting

In Writing (Letter)

Other (please specify)

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* 5. Who in City government currently is most responsive to your requests for service and complaints:

Mayor

City Council Member

Business Administrator

Department Director

Community Development Director

Other (please specify)

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* 6. How effectively has the City responded to your requests for service and/or complaints in the past?

Extremely effective

Very effective

Somewhat effective

Not so effective

Not at all effective

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* 7. Currently, New Castle has five (5) Council members. Which response best reflects your opinion?

Five (5) is the right number of Council members

There should be less than five (5) Council members

There should be seven (7) Council members

There should be more than seven (7) Council members

No Opinion

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* 8. Currently, the Mayor and the City Council members are elected “at large.” Three methods for electing City Councilmembers are shown below. Which do you favor?

At large ___ (This means that candidates for City Council are elected by voters to represent the whole City and all voters may vote for all candidates.)

By districts. (This means that the population of the City would be divided equally into districts and candidates would be elected by the residents in their district)

Elect some Council members at large and some by district.

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Real Estate and Earned Income taxes are the two primary sources of City income. Recognizing that no one likes to pay taxes, which of the following is the better revenue source for generating revenue to provide critical services like police, fire, snow removal, etc.

Earned Income taxes

Real estate (property) taxes

Some combination of real estate taxes and earned income taxes

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* 10. Home Rule Charters assign substantial administrative authority to a single position. What position in the government should have primary authority for overseeing all departments and the day to day City operation?

Mayor

Business Administrator

City Manager (New Position)

Don't Know

Other (please specify)

New Castle Home Rule Charter

Home Rule Charter Study Commission Citizen Survey

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* 1. Are you a resident of the City:

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* 2. If you are a resident, please enter your address.

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* 3. What characteristics are most important to you for your City government? Please rank from most important (1) to least important (7).

Question Title

* 4. If you have a question, complaint, or request for service, how would you prefer to submit it:

Question Title

* 5. Who in City government currently is most responsive to your requests for service and complaints:

Question Title

* 6. How effectively has the City responded to your requests for service and/or complaints in the past?

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* 7. Currently, New Castle has five (5) Council members. Which response best reflects your opinion?

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* 8. Currently, the Mayor and the City Council members are elected “at large.” Three methods for electing City Councilmembers are shown below. Which do you favor?

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* 9. Real Estate and Earned Income taxes are the two primary sources of City income. Recognizing that no one likes to pay taxes, which of the following is the better revenue source for generating revenue to provide critical services like police, fire, snow removal, etc.

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* 10. Home Rule Charters assign substantial administrative authority to a single position. What position in the government should have primary authority for overseeing all departments and the day to day City operation?

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* 11. Please provide any other comments related to the development of the City’s Home Rule Charter.