LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN JORDAN: A MUNICIPAL PUBLIC OPINION POLL OF CITIZENS IN SALT, ZARQA & TAFILAH Dr. Musa Shteiwi Jordan Center for Social Research.

LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN JORDAN: A MUNICIPAL PUBLIC OPINION POLL OF CITIZENS IN SALT,

ZARQA & TAFILAH

LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN JORDAN: A MUNICIPAL PUBLIC OPINION POLL OF CITIZENS IN SALT,

ZARQA & TAFILAH

Dr. Musa Shteiwi

Jordan Center for Social Research

2

Contents

Poll Objectives

Poll Description

Poll Outcomes

3

Poll ObjectivesThis Poll aims to examine citizens’ opinions on the

following issues concerning their municipalities:

Public opinion on the general direction of each municipality.

The most important challenges facing municipalities. Attitudes toward local governance. Degree of satisfaction with the services provided by

municipalities, including public services and utilities. Evaluation of the performance of the current council

as compared with previous councils. The reasons behind complaints about local services. Attitudes toward women’s participation in municipal

councils. The criteria that should apply to municipal council

candidates.

4

Poll Description Sample Size: 1500 individuals; 500 from each municipality; Salt, Zarqa

and Tafilah; who are 18 years or older, randomly selected from each municipality (50% male and 50% female).

A random cluster sample included 30 sites in Salt and Tafilah and 50 sites in Zarqa.

The frame of 2004 census was used.

The poll was conducted on September 13-17, 2005.

The field work for this poll was conducted by Middle East Marketing and Research Consultants.

This poll was supported by the International Republican Institute (IRI).

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Presentation of the Poll’s Most Important Findings

6

MunicipalityTafilah%Zarqa%Salt%

34.235.461.4Things are going in the right direction

52.450.830.2Things are going in the wrong direction

13.213.68.2Not Sure/Do not know (NS/DK)

0.20.20.2Refused to answer

100100100Total

Are things going in the right or wrong direction

in your municipality?

7

Municipality%

TafilahZarqaSalt

11.617.814.8Garbage Collection

19.89.014.6Road paving and maintenance

13.24.24.6Municipal financial deficit/lack of resources

7.77.06.2Inefficient mayor and employees

4.48.62.1Street cleaning

3.48.23.3Public health supervision, disease control

4.34.84.7Corruption

0.210.41.5Water shortage

2.42.06.1Poor public transportation

2.01.44.6Poor street lighting

2.01.42.7Lack of health facilities

0.40.41.3Delay in issuing construction licenses

6.14.26.6Others

14.27.017.7No problems

8.313.69.4Do not know

The most important problem facing your municipality? (open question)

8

55.5

55.2

57.7

24.8

16

19.9

12.1

15.6

14.8

5.1

7.8

5.9

2.5

5.4

1.8

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Salt

Zarqa

Tafilah

NS/DKDoes not make a differenceTo have all council members elected and appoint the mayor.To appoint mayors and half of the council members and elect the other half. To have the mayor and the council members elected

Which of the following methods do you support for selecting a mayor and municipal councilors?

9

42.644.8

55.4

40.5

24.227

16.3

30.6

16.8

0.6 0.4 0.80

10

20

30

40

50

60

Salt Zarqa Tafilah

Previous Council Current Council NS/DK Refused to answer

Which council was more successful in performing its tasks, the previous (elected) council or the current (appointed) council ?

10

32.7

27 26.1

30.9

19.2

36.8

18.2

29.2

21.3

17.8

24.6

15.6

0.4 0 0.20

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Salt Zarqa Tafilah

With the incorporation Against the incorporation Does not make a differenceNot Sure Refused to answer

In 2001, small municipalities were incorporated into larger ones. Were you with the incorporation or against it at the time?

11

34.3

2723.7

31.3

19.8

38.8

19.8

34.2

21.9

14.1

18.6

14.8

0.4 0.4 0.80

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Salt Zarqa Tafilah

With the incorporation Against the incorporationDoes not make a difference NS/DKRefused to answer

Are you with the incorporation now?

Municipality %TafilahZarqaSalt

41.140.946.9To improve municipal services

26.332.025.3To enable municipalities to deal with problems more efficiently

20.618.818.2To increase revenue

6.44.42.9To decrease tribal conflict

3.63.92.9Other reasons

2.103.8No specific reason

100100100Total

Why did you support the incorporation at the time?


70.470.366.7Worsening of services

129.37Overlapping jurisdictions

48.56.4Increased distance between municipalities

2.75.97.4Increased taxes and penalties

4.42.54.5Unbalanced budget

4.40.83.5No change

2.21.72Other reasons

00.82.5No specific reason

100100100Total

Why were you against the incorporation at the time?

14

To what degree are you satisfied with the following services in your municipality?


Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

47.544.443.5SatisfiedConstruction licensing

33.433.839Not Satisfied

48.94749SatisfiedBusiness licensing

21.221.420.4Not Satisfied

47.250.254SatisfiedRoad paving and maintenance


52.13660.4SatisfiedStreet cleaning


6470.463.7SatisfiedStreet lighting


46.353.857.8SatisfiedHealth supervision of shops and factories


15



Municipality%

TafilahZarqaSalt

52.640.458.8Satisfied

Garbage collection46.658.240.8Not Satisfied

56.248.461SatisfiedPublic health supervision/

Disease control 40.545.635.3Not Satisfied

41.154.655SatisfiedBuilding and regulating public markets


18.944.641.3SatisfiedBuilding and maintaining public parks


16

Which council performed its tasks better: the current (appointed) council or the previous (elected) council?

Municipality%

TafilahZarqaSalt

29.129.841Current CouncilConstruction licensing

38.327.631.6Previous Council

27.52940.9Current CouncilBusiness licensing


3233.648.9Current CouncilRoad paving and maintenance


35.830.650.2Current CouncilStreet cleaning


17

Municipality%

TafilahZarqaSalt

36.237.651.4Current CouncilStreet lighting


3134.449.9Current CouncilHealth supervision of shops and factories

39.925.224Previous Council

33.232.650.8Current CouncilGarbage collection


34.431.448Current CouncilPublic health supervision/

Disease control



18

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

30.634.646.8Current CouncilConstructing and regulating public markets

3728.220.7Previous Council

21.432.240.2Current CouncilBuilding and maintaining public parks



19

Municipality (% yes)

TafilahZarqaSalt

24.523.628.9Construction licensing

7.79.27.2Business licensing

45.734.639.3Road paving and maintenance

36.85232.1Street cleaning

27.721.430.3Street lighting

25.514.810.8Health supervision of shops and factories

40.148.433.3Garbage collection

Do you have complaints about the following services

in your city?

20

Municipality (% yes)

TafilahZarqaSalt

24.523.628.9Public health supervision/

Disease control

7.79.27.2Constructing and regulating public markets

36.85232.1Building and maintaining public parks

Do you have complaints about the following servicesin your city?

21

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

Construction licensing

56.364.449.3Higher cost

28.123.734.3Takes a long time, too much red tape

Business licensing

3441.355.3Takes a long time, too much red tape

23.821.720.9Difficulty in obtaining a license/

Regulations too strict

2.617.410.6Wasta

What is your specific complaint about the following services?

22

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

Road paving and maintenance

73.979.872.1Poor road paving and maintenance

Street cleaning

6676.970.5Lack of cleanliness

22.514.624.2Lack of follow up and attention

10.47.74.7No garbage bins


23

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

Street lighting

79.583.273.1Inadequate lighting

16.813.126.9Poor maintenance

Garbage collection

77.877.781.6Garbage is not collected regularly

11.19.59.1Inadequate staffing

10.610.78.6Inadequate garbage bins/vehicles


24

Municipality%

TafilahZarqaSalt

Public health supervision/

Disease control

50.65.357Inadequate use of pesticides

40.134.436Lack of interest in the public health

Constructing and regulating public markets

68.867.140.8Poorly organized markets

28.321.154.2Lack of markets, building new markets

Building/maintaining public parks

98.193.295.2Lack of parks, building new parks


25

Municipality%

TafilahZarqaSalt

75.78282.9SatisfiedTelephone Services


81.651.275.5SatisfiedWater Services


84.884.484.7SatisfiedElectricity Services


65.973.653.4SatisfiedPublic Transportation



26

Municipality%

TafilahZarqaSalt

5568.852.8SatisfiedSewage System


77.974.469.6SatisfiedMail Services


83.686.281.7SatisfiedEducation Services


83.686.284.1SatisfiedHealth Services



27

Have you ever contacted a municipal council member (in

person or by phone) about issues that are important to you or to your community?

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

24.718.224.9Yes

75.181.674.5No

0.20.20.6Do not remember

100100100Total

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

42.86.9Yes

94.59792.4No


100100100Total

Has a municipal council member ever contacted you (in person or by phone) about issues that are

important to you or to your community?

28

Did you vote in the last municipal elections in 2003?

Municipality%TafilahZarqaSalt

56.946.673.1Yes

42.349.424.8No


0.40.20.4Refused to Answer

100100100Total

29

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

22.23418.7Lack of interest in elections

22.514.79.1Lack of confidence in candidates

17.611.312.9Age constraints

6.99.420.4No time

7.313.69.8Outside country

6.58.78.3Military personnel

9.25.79.1Personal reasons

4.21.55.4Other reasons

3.71.16.1Refused to answer

100100100Total

Why did you not vote in the last municipal elections?

30

Do you intend to vote in the upcoming municipal elections?


646168.1Yes

27.33024.8No


0.20.4-Refused to answer

100100100Total

31

Do you agree with the following forms of women’s political participation in your municipality?

83.8 84.4

73.369.3

75.2

63.460.2

66.2

55.359.9

64.6

54.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Salt Zarqa TafilahVoting in electionsRunning for elections as a council memberRunning for elections as a mayorAssigning a quota of seats for women on the council

32

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

93.589.290.5ImportantResiding within the locality

5.99.89.5Not important

92.385.285.6ImportantReligiosity


93.193.292.4ImportantGood record in public service


83.68586.8ImportantHolder of a university degree

16.11413.2Not important

There are a number of criteria that people think are important for a candidate who wants to run for election in your municipality. How

important do you think each of these criteria is?

33

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

98.49798.5ImportantGives priority to public rather than personal interest 0.82.41.5Not important

43.947.641.4ImportantPolitical affiliation


5549.456.1ImportantTo be a male




34

Municipality %

TafilahZarqaSalt

60.352.266.1ImportantTo be young


98.397.498.5ImportantGood reputation

1.421.3Not important

31.729.837.4ImportantA member of your family or

tribe 67.369.462.3Not important



LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN JORDAN: A MUNICIPAL PUBLIC OPINION POLL OF CITIZENS IN SALT, ZARQA & TAFILAH Dr. Musa Shteiwi Jordan Center for Social Research.

Documents

current council

current appointed council

previous elected council

municipal council candidates

public services

following issues

following servicesin

local services