The latest survey measuring how Baton Rouge residents feel about their city and quality of life shows, among other things, that concerns about crime are down, support for legalized marijuana is up and a majority of respondents think the city-parish should build and operate a mental health treatment facility.
Those are among the findings in the latest CityStats report, an annual survey conducted on behalf of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, which uses the results to guide its civic leadership projects and assists its fund donors in making grants.
The 2015 survey shows small but significant changes in local attitudes. For example, fewer respondents are worried about being victims of violent crime—45% this year, compared to 48% in 2014 and 57% in 2013. Meanwhile, the opposition to legalizing small amounts of marijuana has continued to decrease—to 48% this year from 55% in 2014 and nearly 60% in 2013.
The survey also found that 85% of respondents support parish government building and operating a mental health treatment facility. Last year, a bond issue that would have funded such a center along with several other criminal justice facilities failed when the Metro Council refused to put it on a ballot.
In other notable findings:
- 60% of respondents favor allowing individual parishes to levy their own gasoline taxes if the money is only used to improve local roads and transportation. The state currently does not let municipalities levy gasoline taxes.
- 32% of respondents would use a bike share program. The top three locations for such a program are LSU, University and City Park Lake, and City Park.
- 45% of respondents would use a car share program if it were available in Baton Rouge.
- People are more satisfied with their neighborhoods. 48% of respondents said the immediate area where they live is getting better, compared to 45% in 2014.
- People remain dissatisfied with the rate of progress in Baton Rouge. This year, 58% said progress is too slow, compared to 53% in 2014.
See the full CityStats report.
Editor’s Note: This story has been revised from a previously published version.
