Community Input

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