The Arizona We Want 2.0 Arizona Parks and Recreation Association Boards & Commissions Day August 29, 2013

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A Vision for Arizona (2004 – 2007)  Review of 50 major policy reports published over 15-year time period. Gallup Arizona Poll/The Arizona We Want (October 2009)  Gallup captures the voice of Arizona citizens.  The Arizona We Want report describes the 8 citizen goals captured by the study. Arizona Civic Health Index (2010, 2011, 2012)  Measures citizen engagement, community involvement and social cohesion. The Arizona We Want Institute (January 2013)  Board of Advisors created with 19 founding members. The Arizona We Want 2.0 (January 2013) A set of action steps to achieve the 8 citizen goals. 3 How CFA built a citizens’ agenda…

STEP 1: We asked Gallup for help. What we learned about Arizonans: High attachment to place – Low connection to community High consensus – Loss of trust in elected officials High expectations – Willing to set ambitious goals Education drives the economy and civic health Arizona’s strength rests in local communities

8 Citizen Goals Emerge in Arizona

STEP 2: We learned more about civic health. Three years of data: what we learned about Arizona. We rank below the national average on all but two of 16 national indicators and in the bottom quartile on 9. Civic health in Arizona is driven by education and rapidly changing demographics.

Fact: 61% of all Az jobs will require some training beyond high school by Center on Education and the Workforce -- Georgetown

Fact: Education drives Arizona’s economy and civic health.

Fact: Arizona is a state in transition. Millennials (18 to 29-year olds) make up 35% of Arizona’s traditional working population (18 to 64-year olds). Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) will soon swell the 65+ population.

Latinos represent nearly one-third of Arizona’s total population and 43% of our K-12 students. We’re now home to more Latinos under the age of 18 than any other ethnic population group. Median age of Arizona Latinos compared to 44, the median age for white non-Latinos.

STEP 3: Translate citizen goals into an action agenda. How We Did It: Individual task forces identify action steps group discussions and town meetings are held Arizona leaders serve as “critical readers.” 96 proposals submitted to 5 Communities Project. Momentum maintained over past 3 years due to extensive media coverage and community activities. The Arizona We Want 2.0 is the result of these efforts.

Leader-driven Goals: Goal 1: Education Graduate high school students “career-college” ready as measured by national and international standards. 24% increase in bachelor’s degrees awarded by 2017 – ABOR Goal 2: Job Creation Create more job opportunities that offer higher wages with training programs for Arizonans of all ages. 30% increase in average county wages – CFA Task Force

Goal 3: Environment and Water Management Water management plans for all regions; policies that balance growth with preserving open spaces and recreation areas. Goal 4: Infrastructure Expand mass transit system to connect urban regions; improve infrastructure of all kinds to support trade. Goal 5: Healthcare Provide health insurance for all, with payment assistance for those who need it.

3 of the 8 goals are primarily citizen driven.

Goal 6: Make Arizona the “place to be” for young talent. Young Arizonans want:  Quality jobs  More places where young people can gather.  Protection for the environment.  Culture of openness and opportunity for all. Action Agenda:  Invite young talent to sit on boards and commissions; let them help create the cities they want to live in; invest in their ideas.  Address the challenge of downstream opportunities.  Leverage the universities by making graduate education readily available.

The Manifesto Project Designed by young Arizona leaders in response to Goal 6 – the challenge of “growing,” engaging and retaining young talent.

Goal 7: Empower citizens and increase civic engagement. Arizona ranked 47 th in the nation for voter turnout in 2011 local elections. Action Agenda:  Encourage and support civic and social entrepreneurism at the local level.  Make iCivics available in all Arizona schools.  Continue annual reports that track Arizona’s performance on all CHI indicators.  Find innovative ways to reconnect citizens to government and to one another.

. What are AZ Advocates? A statewide network of citizens who support the spirit and values of The Arizona We Want by championing at least one of its citizen goals. What are Partner Organizations? Organizations in all sectors with missions and goals that are complementary to one or more of the citizen goals.

. AZ Advocates agree to:  FIND YOUR PASSION: Champion at least one of the citizen goals.  DIVE DEEPLY INTO THE GOAL YOU CHOOSE: Study the issues, the pros and cons as well as the action steps needed to achieve the goal.  SPREAD THE WORD: Use your personal network to focus attention on the high consensus and high expectations Arizonans have for the future.  BE A CATALYST: Recruit at least 25 Arizonans to take the Gallup and Civic Health Index surveys online.  BUILD THE ARIZONA NETWORK: Recruit 10 more AZ Advocates to help focus candidates and citizens on citizen goals in 2014.

Partner Organizations agree to:  LEVERAGE EFFORTS: Identify the goals and action steps that align with your mission and current efforts. Identify opportunities for leveraging efforts with the Institute.  LEARN MORE: Encourage employees, members, customers, etc. to take the Gallup and CHI surveys online. A new online app will provide with customized reports.  USE YOUR RESOURCES: Include information about the 2.0 report in your newsletters, etc. Focus your sponsorship support on activities that engage Arizonans in community efforts.  FOCUS YOUR POLITICAL ACTION: Make sure people, including candidates, know of your efforts on behalf of the 2.0 citizen goals.  BUILD THE ARIZONA NETWORK: Recruit at least 5 more organizations that share your commitment to Arizona’s future.

Goal 8: Strengthen the sense of connection we feel to one another. 5 Communities Project Send your “big ideas” for achieving citizen goals… 96 communities respond with proposals. 5 selected to work with the Institute to move projects forward. 1 year later, 70% of all projects are still underway.

Paula Ellis, former Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, made the following remarks after serving on the national selection panel for the 5 Communities Project. “In many ways it seems the work the Institute is doing is so simple. What do people want? Just ask them. Who can do the work? They can – but only if we create opportunities and get the barriers out of the way. Lattie Coor and his team are helping to invent the future of Arizona. They’re helping reinvigorate democracy by inspiring Arizonans to identify concrete, systemic problems and seize the opportunities to make lasting change.”

The Arizona We Want 2.0 Action Plan 1.Increase online participation in the Gallup and CHI surveys to 25, Position the citizens’ agenda as a key part of the public discussions surrounding the 2014 Arizona election. 3.Launch AZ Advocates with the support of partner organizations statewide. 4.Convene partner organizations in mid-November to help plan a statewide meeting for AZ Advocates in January.