Portland officials are launching a community survey aimed at gathering broad public input on city programs and services, inviting residents to share feedback that may help guide future policy decisions.
The City of Portland is partnering with the ETC Institute, a national survey research firm that specializes in municipal-level assessments, to administer the effort. Officials said all responses will be anonymous and confidential. ETC will analyze the findings, present them to the City Council, and publish the full results on the city’s website.
Because the firm conducts similar surveys across the country, Portland’s data will also be compared regionally and nationally.
Mayor Mark Dion said he welcomes the initiative, noting that including survey funding in the city budget will allow officials to hear from residents who may not regularly engage with city government. He also said the results will help the council better understand community needs and evaluate how Portland compares with other cities.
City Manager Danielle West encouraged residents to participate, saying community input is essential to shaping city priorities. She said the results will help ensure the city’s work aligns with residents’ needs and expectations.
A random sample of residents will receive a paper survey by mail in coming days, sent by the ETC Institute. The survey is also available online and by telephone for any resident who wants to take part. Additional information is available at portlandmaine.gov/communitysurvey.
The survey is offered in multiple languages, and city staff are working with community partners to ensure broad participation, including outreach to residents who utilize the city’s emergency shelter services.
