The City of Lincoln is back with yet another online survey designed to gather input about City priorities. It's all part of an ongoing partnership with the Public Policy Center. There are also opportunities to participate via a set of survey exercises printed in tomorrow's Neighborhood Extra (a Journal Star insert), or in one of the upcoming "Community Conversations". You can sign up for the latter by calling the Mayor's Office at 402-441-7511.
It seems like these online surveys have gotten more complicated each year. This year's survey doesn't break the pattern. You will need to dedicate a good chunk of time to complete the survey, especially if you want it to be based on an informed opinion and not just a series of gut reactions.
On the plus side, the City is putting a lot of effort into gathering these data. Unfortunately, cynical me suspects this is all part of an ongoing smoke and mirrors campaign designed to make a certain segment of the population feel like they're having a say. It's not an uncommon tactic, after all. That's not to say there's no value to the surveys. But most of the big decisions are already made. This process's role is to either support those decisions or to help fill in the gaps with some of the smaller decisions. This isn't a direct democracy and the City isn't suddenly going to change course just because a majority of participants say that's their desire. It's a good thing, too; the folks who tend to participate in these things typically aren't particularly representative of Lincolnites as a whole.
That could change, of course. You can make the process more representative by chiming in and getting your friends and family to do the same. So go ahead and find some time to take the survey or participate in the Community Conversations. Worst case: you learn some new things about Lincoln. We could all use a bit of that now and then, couldn't we?
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