B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Assessment of Perceptual and Objective Quality of Life Indicators in Calexico- Mexicali: Toward a Longitudinal Database for the U.S.- Mexican Border Region Subhrajit Guhathakurta David Pijawka Edward Sadalla Arizona State University Sergio Pena University of Texas at El Paso Kimberly Collins San Diego State University Judith Garcia Arturo Ranfla Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Southwest Consortium of Environmental Research and Policy Technical Conference Tucson, Arizona December 13, 2006

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Project Goals and Rationale  Goals  Assist borderland decision-makers in finding ways to maintain a satisfactory quality of life and a healthy, sustainable natural environment  Provide critical analysis, currently unavailable, on objective and subjective indicators of quality of life (QoL) at several twin-city border communities on a periodic basis  Rationale  An accessible archive of QoL data could be used to guide policy and business decisions that would have a positive impact on sustainable development in the border region

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Objectives  Monitor both objective and subjective QoL indicators  Collect longitudinal data (long-term monitoring)  Provide intuitive and real-time access to this data through web interfaces for decision-makers and scholars  Periodically present timely, intelligent analysis of trends

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Accomplishments to Date  Compiled baseline objective data on the Calexico- Mexicali Region ( ); El Paso-Juarez ( ); San Luis-Somerton (2006)  Surveyed a representative sample of households in four twin-city regions on U.S.-Mexico border on chosen quality of life indicators  Mexicali-Calexico ( )  El-Paso-Juarez ( )  San Luis, Rio Colorado-San Luis and Somerton, AZ ( )  San Diego-Tijuana (San Diego completed 2006; Tijuana pending)  Results have been reported in SCERP report (several presentations and papers are in process)  Web site established to provide data, results and analysishttp://bop.caed.asu.edu

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Chosen QoL Indicators  Community Assets  Education  Economy, Income, and Jobs  Public Safety  Housing  Environment  Transportation  Public Services  Health Care  Emotional Well Being

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT

SCHEMATIC OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT HIGHLIGHTS OF El PASO-JUAREZ STUDY

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Sample Size for El Paso-Juarez  Total Households in 2000 = 1,783,097  Juarez = 1,218,817; El Paso = 564,280  Total sample = 613 ( > required 384 for 5% significance)  Juarez sample = 417  El Paso sample = 196  All face-to-face interviews

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Overall Satisfaction El Paso 2006Juarez 2006

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT ECONOMY Juarez El Paso Economic Profile for El Paso and Juarez El PasoJuarez Economic Annual median household income*$23,460.00$32,124.00$ 9, Annual per capita money income*$ 9,603.00$14, $ 3,030$ 5,540 Percent of families below poverty21.20%19.1%n/a

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT PUBLIC FINANCE Juarez El Paso Public Finance El Paso Juarez Local government revenue per capita $ (2000) $ (1994) $ (2002) Percent of local government budget due to federal revenues 1.6%* 19.0% 29.0% Source: U.S. Census, 1990 and 2000 and INEGI, Censo 1990 and INEGI Estadistica de Ingreso y Egresos Municipales 1994, *Intergovernmental revenue (

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT El Paso Juarez Similarities and Differences %EL PASO JUAREZ% LowMH ≠ QoL Attributes ≠ LowMH Community Assets Rating of overall quality of life Satisfaction with place of residence Is it a good place to rear children? Are people friendly?

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT El Paso Juarez Similarities and Differences EL PASO % JUAREZ% LowMH ≠ QoL attributes ≠ LowMH Economics Overall economic situation Desired economic situation Economic expectations Availability of employment Changes in cost of living 73261

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT El Paso Juarez Similarities and Differences EL PASO % JUAREZ % LowMH ≠ QoL Attributes ≠ LowMH Public Safety Crime in neighborhoods Safety at night Trust in local police

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT El Paso Juarez Similarities and Differences % EL PASO JUAREZ% LowMH ≠ QoL Attributes ≠ LowMH Environm ent Air quality Effect of air quality on health Quality of drinking water Effect of drinking water on health Quality of parks & recreation

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT OPPOSITE SOME DIFFERENCES SIMILAR EL PASO JUAREZ ≠ SIMILARITIES ≠ Community Assets Education Economics Public Safety Housing SOME DIFFERENCES SIMILAR

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT SIMILAR OPPOSITE EL PASO JUAREZ ≠ SIMILITUD ≠ Environment Transportation Public Services Health Care OPPOSITE

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT HIGHLIGHTS OF San Luis, Rio Colorado- San Luis, AZ and Somerton STUDY

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT Sample Size for El Paso-Juarez  Total Households in 2000 = 167,603  Somerton & San Luis, AZ = 22,597; San Luis, RC = 145,006  Total sample = 745 ( > required 384 for 5% significance)  Somerton & San Luis, AZ sample = 347  San Luis, RC sample = 398  All face-to-face interviews

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT San Luis Somerton Similarities and Differences SAN LUIS % SOMERTON % LowMH ≠ ATTRIBUTES of QoL ≠ LowMH Rating of overall quality of life Satisfaction with place of residence Is it a good place to rear children? Are people friendly? 82171

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT San Luis Somerton Similarities and Differences % SAN LUIS SOMERTON % Education LowMH ≠ ATTRIBUTES of QoL ≠ LowMH Quality of high schools Quality of primary schools

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT SIMILAR OPPOSITE SOME DIFFERENCES SAN LUIS SOMERTON ≠ SIMILARITIES ≠ Community Assets Education Economics Public Safety Housing OPPOSITE SIMILAR

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT SIMILAR SOME DIFFERENCE SAN LUIS SOMERTON ≠ SIMILARITIES ≠ Environment Transportation Public Services Health Care OPPOSITE

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS  Global indices routinely indicate high levels of satisfaction with QoL  In areas of economic situation and prospects and local government services, cities on the U.S. side score fare better than their counterparts in the Mexican side  Crime is especially noted in the Mexican side as a serious issue in most surveys  People on both sides of the border have complaints about transportation  In the San Luis-Somerton-San Luis, RC survey although the overall Qol indicators were similar people in San Luis RC indicated that their life would be better on the other side of the border (while Yuma residents felt life would be worse on the other side of the border)

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT FUTURE OUTLOOK  Continue to develop the longitudinal data base for the entire border region (twin-city urban communities)  Next phase: Expand longitudinal depth for San Diego-Tijuana urban twin-city regions (first longitudinal data) and Calexico-Mexicali ( )  Establish relationships with and feedback mechanisms from local officials and citizen groups, policy organizations and environmental agencies  Develop decision tools to inform policies with the help of QoL indicators  Reconcile objective and subjective indicators

B ORDER O BSERVATORY P ROJECT For much more Information go to: COMMENTS? QUESTIONS?