01-02-1992 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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nine percent of the potential users indicated they would be "much less likely" to use a Center outside of their community. A majority of residents would be be willing to see their property taxes raised up to $11 . 50 per year to fund the construction and operation of the Center. While twenty-one percent were unwilling to pay any additional taxes, a surprisingly large twenty-eight percent expressed a willingness to see their property taxes raised by $20. 00 yearly. The issue of governance proved to be illusive to most residents: one-third supported a special regional district; one -third, local control ; . and one-third expressed no opinion. More discussion about potential governance structures would be required before any consensus could be crystallized. Newspapers were the primary means by which citizens learned about City government and its activities. The "New Brighton Bulletin" and the "Fridley Focus" were mentioned by fifty percent of the sample. General local newspapers were also cited by an additional eleven percent. Cable television was used by twelve percent, while city newsletters were relied upon by nine percent. Cable television reached forty-nine percent of this area, and forty-three percent of the subscribers reported watching their local government channel at least "occasionally. " The optimal means of reaching most residents, then, was through the local newspapers. Seniors: The average age of senior residents was 68 . 5 years old. Almost one-half of the senior population was within the 61-70 year age range. The median residency of older residents in this area was 27 . 3 years, - almost twice as high as the regional norm. Forty-two percent of the seniors moved to one of the four cities- from Minneapolis ; sixteen percent moved from other Northern suburbs. Twelve percent reported moving between the four communities; of this group, the majority had spent nine years in their former community before moving to a neighboring community. Virtually the entire sample of seniors had no intention of moving ging the next ten years, ---zn- fact, only two percent indicated--a - potential move during the next two years. Senior couples and senior singles were equally likely to occur in the sample. Twenty-one percent of the seniors indicated living with a younger adult. School-aged children could be found in only five percent of the senior households, while one percent indicated the presence of pre-schoolers, Fourteen percent of this' sample rented their current- residences. ----Eighty percent of the senior households were retired; the remainder were quite diverse, spread across Owner-Manager, Pir fooa3a :l-Techn`ca , Clerical-Sales, and Blue Collar occupations, Prior to retirement, about thirty-five percent held up-scale White Collar occupations, twenty-seven psr_'cent had Slue Collar occupations, and, twenty-five percent pursued clerical-Sales careers, Women 3