Results from Phase III Community Forums:

Facilitation Team - February 8, 2000

Our Slogan:
� Baker's Field
� A place to come to, not from
� The city of fountains
� Be the Future

Our Image:
� Different
� Ahead of the Curve
� Pro-future/anti-past
� Capitalize on Positives; Stop making excuses for who we are
� Safe!
� The destination
� Friendliest city in California
� Home of wild & scenic Kern River (expand)

Our Reputation:
� Role model for a diverse cultured community
� Welcomes "outsiders"
� "Bipartisan"
� Positive
� Progressive & fun
� "young" minded

Civic Culture:
� Business friendly
� Business people in office
� Respect for all people

Business Environment:
� Profitable, expanding small businesses
� Business friendly
� Economic diversity
� High tech
� Home of international corporate headquarters

Arts & Culture
� Museums/performing arts centers in each segment of the community
� Expanded, highly educational art museum
� Local major play production company
� World class symphony & performing arts center
� Above - all combined

Heart of the City:
� River Walk with thriving small businesses
� 6 more P.A.L Centers
� Neighbors know each other
� Upscale shopping (Nordstroms at last)
� People LOVE living here
� A great CSUB D-1 basketball team
� Model TranspoAction system
� Malls/green space/colorful downtown and other strategic areas

Technology
� Wireless
� Well wired high tech city
� Fiber-residentia/business
� Telecommunications Competition a reality
� Cutting edge technology in every home, vehicle and public building

Transportation
� 24/7 Public Transporationa
� High speed rail - 2
� Cross town traffic routes - well planned
� Wonderful, modern, efficient airport
� Jet spaceships
� International airport

Biggest Changes
� Health care for all children
� Racism elimination
� Best schools in state
� Highest median income in state
� Eliminate homeless
� Part-time state legislature
� Integrated social/health services
� Embrace diversity
� Key city on Pacific Rim

Break Thrus
� Boy Scout Troops replace gangs
� Gang members rebuild S.E. community (youth build)

What's Our Vision for Our Economy over the next 10-20 years?:
� Higher paying work
� More diversified industries
� Highly educated work force
� 2.5% unemployment
� Employment at state and national levels
� Stable/growing economic base

What kind of Economic Development Initiatives do we want to create?
� Well planned out -clearly understood
� "Bubba Gumps" downtown
� Tax incentives
� Community Development Bank
� Area-wide, not city or county
� Empowerment Zones
� Educational opportunities
� "Benes" for "pro-community" businesses, ie: State Farm, Aera, etc.
� Incentives to give in proportion to/more than their take

What kind of Jobs do we want to Attract here over the next 10-20 years?:
� High tech
� Him median incomes
� Manufacturing/factory type jobs
� Stable - not layoff intensive
� Distribution plants
� Arts & entertainment
� Fun!
� Managers who empower, not control

In our Community's Future�..WE WANT:
� High tech jobs
� To see the Sierras each day
� Higher paying jobs
� Clean water
� Dave & Busters
� Trees & Landscaping
� Smooth roads
� A vibrant S.E. and E. Bakersfield economy
� A great DIVERSE community that everyone thinks is "cool"
� Eliminte homeless - house for everyone
� A great airport with more flights to more destinations
� A low percentage (less than 3%) on public assistance
� A central focus
� Rapid transit

In our Community's Future�.WE DON'T WANT:
� Crime
� Garbage
� All warehousemen/burger flipper jobs
� Gangs
� Drugs
� Gridlock
� Leap frog development
� Be a dumping ground for other communities
� Anyone's left-overs
� Government with attitude

Our Vision for our Downtown:
� Cultural center of city - museums, residential, retail
� Pedestrian friendly
� River Walk
� Jazz music
� Revitalized or nuked - Union Avenue
� Landscaping, entertainment, housing
� Fountains and outdoor art
� Gourmet dining
� Arts & recreation center
� High end retail
� Domed stadium

Vision for our Neighborhood:
� Curbs and gutters
� Lights
� Community police program
� Omnipresent bike/walking trails
� S.E. affordable ownership-Housing (using CDBG Home Funds), and the Youth build Program (HUD)
� Affordable child care
� 5 grocery stores
� Community/ethnic marketplace
� Lots of trees and attractive walkways
� Lots of street lights
� Back porch friendly
� On-going reading contest at local libraries with trips to Disneyland, Magic Mountain, scholarships and prizes
� Sidewalks

Commonalities:
� Higher level employment
� Overall betterment
� Cultural diversity
� Progress
� Pride of ownership
� Transportation is key
� Safety
� Lock & feel of city is better!
� Business aspect-business leadership
� Great change - positive
� Enthusiasm\A place to go to vs a place to come from
� Better land use

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