Phoenix Ranked as Most Efficient City in National Study
Library Services Top Charts Among Cities Measured in Report
April 23, 2001
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The city of Phoenix ranked #1 in a comprehensive national study that measures how well U.S. cities deliver government services to local citizens.
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(From left, Councilmember Cody Williams, Councilman Phil Gordon, City Librarian Toni Garvey, Dr. Adrian T. Moore, Vice Mayor Tom Milton and Councilman Claude Mattox)
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The first-of-its-kind study, conducted by Reason Public Policy Institute (RPPI), lauded Phoenix for having a library system that is second to none. The study also praised Phoenix for making its public records not only accessible but understandable to its citizenry.
"In recent years, the city of Phoenix has received numerous awards, including Best Managed City and Best Run City in the World," Dr. Adrian T. Moore, executive director of RPPI and co-author of the study, said during a ceremony honoring city officials for these achievements. "Our study results provide the missing link that helps validate these awards - efficiency is key to city management success."
The Competitive Cities Report Card was prepared to help citizens and government officials understand how much money and worker time are required to provide various public services like police protection, trash collection and street maintenance. The study also measures how those resources compare to other cities for the same service.
"Citizens often turn to guides that evaluate how cities perform on readily understood measures, like the best places to do business and the best places to retire," said Moore. "But none of these reports examines how efficiently cities deliver public services. The Competitive Cities Report Card is a first attempt at filling this gap."
Phoenix received very high marks in five of the 11 city services analyzed, including parks, water and building maintenance. Library services scored exceptionally well, placing first across the board in seven of the last eight years.
"I think most of the credit for this achievement belongs to City Manager Frank Fairbanks and city staff," said Phoenix Vice Mayor Tom Milton. "We create the policies, but Frank is charged with implementing these policies and keeping the city's 10,000 workers motivated. This is an enormous responsibility and Frank makes it happen everyday."
In addition to placing highest in overall efficiency, Phoenix earned bonus recognition for producing the most understandable and useful information to citizens. According to Robert Franciosi of the Phoenix-based Goldwater Institute, this is an important distinction.
"We've recently heard a lot about a lack of community spirit in the Valley," said Franciosi. "Transparent government not only improves efficiency, but also helps to foster citizen awareness and involvement."
Reason Public Policy Institute (RPPI) is a national public-policy think tank with more than 20 years of experience researching government performance and alternate service delivery, with a special emphasis on local government. RPPI's academic, peer-reviewed research also explores issues related to land use and economic development, transportation and infrastructure, environmental policy, education, and social services.
More information, including a copy of the study, is available at http://www.rppi.org/compcity/ on the Internet.
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