Results from Phase III Community Forums:

Facilitation Team - February 8, 2000

Our Slogan:
· Baker's Field
· A place to come to, not from
· The city of fountains
· Be the Future

Our Image:
· Different
· Ahead of the Curve
· Pro-future/anti-past
· Capitalize on Positives; Stop making excuses for who we are
· Safe!
· The destination
· Friendliest city in California
· Home of wild & scenic Kern River (expand)

Our Reputation:
· Role model for a diverse cultured community
· Welcomes "outsiders"
· "Bipartisan"
· Positive
· Progressive & fun
· "young" minded

Civic Culture:
· Business friendly
· Business people in office
· Respect for all people

Business Environment:
· Profitable, expanding small businesses
· Business friendly
· Economic diversity
· High tech
· Home of international corporate headquarters

Arts & Culture
· Museums/performing arts centers in each segment of the community
· Expanded, highly educational art museum
· Local major play production company
· World class symphony & performing arts center
· Above - all combined

Heart of the City:
· River Walk with thriving small businesses
· 6 more P.A.L Centers
· Neighbors know each other
· Upscale shopping (Nordstroms at last)
· People LOVE living here
· A great CSUB D-1 basketball team
· Model TranspoAction system
· Malls/green space/colorful downtown and other strategic areas

Technology
· Wireless
· Well wired high tech city
· Fiber-residentia/business
· Telecommunications Competition a reality
· Cutting edge technology in every home, vehicle and public building

Transportation
· 24/7 Public Transporationa
· High speed rail - 2
· Cross town traffic routes - well planned
· Wonderful, modern, efficient airport
· Jet spaceships
· International airport

Biggest Changes
· Health care for all children
· Racism elimination
· Best schools in state
· Highest median income in state
· Eliminate homeless
· Part-time state legislature
· Integrated social/health services
· Embrace diversity
· Key city on Pacific Rim

Break Thrus
· Boy Scout Troops replace gangs
· Gang members rebuild S.E. community (youth build)

What's Our Vision for Our Economy over the next 10-20 years?:
· Higher paying work
· More diversified industries
· Highly educated work force
· 2.5% unemployment
· Employment at state and national levels
· Stable/growing economic base

What kind of Economic Development Initiatives do we want to create?
· Well planned out -clearly understood
· "Bubba Gumps" downtown
· Tax incentives
· Community Development Bank
· Area-wide, not city or county
· Empowerment Zones
· Educational opportunities
· "Benes" for "pro-community" businesses, ie: State Farm, Aera, etc.
· Incentives to give in proportion to/more than their take

What kind of Jobs do we want to Attract here over the next 10-20 years?:
· High tech
· Him median incomes
· Manufacturing/factory type jobs
· Stable - not layoff intensive
· Distribution plants
· Arts & entertainment
· Fun!
· Managers who empower, not control

In our Community's Future…..WE WANT:
· High tech jobs
· To see the Sierras each day
· Higher paying jobs
· Clean water
· Dave & Busters
· Trees & Landscaping
· Smooth roads
· A vibrant S.E. and E. Bakersfield economy
· A great DIVERSE community that everyone thinks is "cool"
· Eliminte homeless - house for everyone
· A great airport with more flights to more destinations
· A low percentage (less than 3%) on public assistance
· A central focus
· Rapid transit

In our Community's Future….WE DON'T WANT:
· Crime
· Garbage
· All warehousemen/burger flipper jobs
· Gangs
· Drugs
· Gridlock
· Leap frog development
· Be a dumping ground for other communities
· Anyone's left-overs
· Government with attitude

Our Vision for our Downtown:
· Cultural center of city - museums, residential, retail
· Pedestrian friendly
· River Walk
· Jazz music
· Revitalized or nuked - Union Avenue
· Landscaping, entertainment, housing
· Fountains and outdoor art
· Gourmet dining
· Arts & recreation center
· High end retail
· Domed stadium

Vision for our Neighborhood:
· Curbs and gutters
· Lights
· Community police program
· Omnipresent bike/walking trails
· S.E. affordable ownership-Housing (using CDBG Home Funds), and the Youth build Program (HUD)
· Affordable child care
· 5 grocery stores
· Community/ethnic marketplace
· Lots of trees and attractive walkways
· Lots of street lights
· Back porch friendly
· On-going reading contest at local libraries with trips to Disneyland, Magic Mountain, scholarships and prizes
· Sidewalks

Commonalities:
· Higher level employment
· Overall betterment
· Cultural diversity
· Progress
· Pride of ownership
· Transportation is key
· Safety
· Lock & feel of city is better!
· Business aspect-business leadership
· Great change - positive
· Enthusiasm\A place to go to vs a place to come from
· Better land use

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