ROLE 5: Assist Elected Officials or Citizens

Practice 5b. Report performance: Produce and issue external periodic performance reports.

 San Jose, California, City Auditor [Profile]  

In January 2009, the San Jose City Auditor released the first annual Services and Accomplishments (SEA) Report, a public report on San Jose city government performance for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008. The purpose of the report is to improve government transparency and accountability, provide consolidated performance information to the public, and allow informed decision making by City officials, staff, and the public.

The City of San Jose was once considered an innovator in managing for results.  But in the process of gathering information from departments for the SEA Report, audit staff learned that performance management practices had deteriorated in San Jose in the last ten years, due to changes in management staffing and priorities. So, while the SEA Report has improved government transparency and accountability, the city auditor will also follow up in ways to encourage improved performance management.

The SEA Report, prepared in cooperation with City departments and offices, took about 1,800 hours of audit staff time and about five months to complete, but the auditor’s office expects these figures to drop sharply next year assuming the same format and mostly the same performance measures are maintained from year to year. For the purpose of reporting, San Jose’s city offices and departments are broken down into six broad categories: Public Safety, Environmental and Utility Services, Transportation and Aviation Services, Neighborhood Services, Community and Economic Development, and Strategic Support. The report includes workload and performance results as well as the results of a biennial resident satisfaction survey focusing on the quality of city services. The report includes five year historical trends and comparisons with San Jose service targets, and a limited amount of comparative data to help residents and managers better understand how some San Jose services measure up against other cities.

Interesting findings from the report include a high level of overall satisfaction with the quality of city services in 2007 (78%) with marks at 80% or above for the quality of fire prevention and protection as well as library services. “Protecting open space” was identified as most in need of improvement with only 49% of residents providing scores of “good” or “excellent.” Residents also suggested needs to increase police patrols, reduce traffic congestion, and repair or expand roadways.

After issuing the SEA Report, the audit team met with the City Manager and drafted a follow-up report regarding the SEA findings. Auditors are also working with government managers and preparing a memo to help identify ways to constructively use the findings to improve San Jose’s performance management system. The audit office expects to begin work on the 2008-09 SEA Report in September 2009 with projected issuance in December.

Report:

City of San Jose Service Efforts and Accomplishments Report 2007-08