MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY

Transcription

1 MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY Welcome to the 8 th edition of the Race Relations Progress Report. In this report you ll find outcomes, by race, in six areas: Jacksonville s schools, neighborhoods and housing, opportunities for income and jobs, justice system, local politics, residents health, and perceptions and experiences with racism. A Review Committee made up of Jacksonville residents identified the most important data about their city (also referred to as Duval County) to pay attention to. One of the first observations made was that not enough data about the growing Hispanic community is included in the report. Wherever possible, data on the conditions of all races and ethnicities is included. As is clear on page 2, an increasing number and percentage of Hispanics call Jacksonville home, and we will need more and better information about our Hispanic neighbors as we plan for our future. Graduation rates are a highlight of this year s report. Asian students have been graduating from high school more frequently than white students for many years. While 81 percent of Asian students graduated in 2012, 73 percent of white students graduated. The gap between the black graduation rate and the white graduation rate is 11 percentage points, with 62 percent of black students graduating from high school on time. Similarly, the Hispanic graduation rate is 64 percent. (p. 5) Because this report gives you trend lines, you ll see that the gap between white and black graduation rates was wider 10 years ago. For many years, Duval County Public Schools and the Jacksonville community as a whole have made high school graduation a priority, and those efforts are paying off. The opportunity gap has narrowed. This report operates like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it gives you facts about improving conditions: all the good news. This year s volunteer Review Committee put a Gold Star on those trends showing improvement and 1

2 progress, including the graduation rate. On the other edge of the blade are worsening disparities. A Red Flag signals concern. One disparity the Review Committee found troubling is the difference between white and black unemployment rates, which increased to 11 points, the widest gap in eight years. (p.8) Many will say that all boats rise with the tide. However, in Jacksonville some boats are rising faster than others. Disparities in unemployment will shape the city s future because families without steady income are vulnerable. The consequences of a jobless recovery are evident throughout these pages. I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, quality, and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, other-centered men can build up. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Preparation of Jacksonville s workforce is another concern. In 2011, nearly twice as many white adults had earned a bachelor s degree (or higher), compared to Black adults (p.7). This condition is connected to the gap in unemployment rates because competition for jobs is fierce, and many new positions require at least a bachelor s degree. In fact, many of the indicators in this report are linked to each other reading achievement trends affect the median household income indicator, which in turn affects family stability, maternal health, and also the infant death rate. Just as these trend lines are all connected, the efforts to reduce disparities require efforts on all fronts. After all, these conditions are linked within an individual s life. A person who contracts HIV is immediately vulnerable financially, at his or her job, and housing situation (p.13) Jacksonville is at a critical point right now because many of our influential organizations are in transition. In , top leaders at the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville University, Florida State College at Jacksonville, JTA, JEA, the Duval County Public Schools, the Jacksonville Port Authority, and the Duval County Health Department are new, or are changing. These gentlemen (and perhaps one or two women) shape Jacksonville s policies and organizational cultures, making workplaces, businesses, neighborhoods, and schools inclusive and respectful of differences. As Jacksonville further diversifies and grows, our city will need leaders from all walks of life embracing new ideas and honoring the variety of cultures already here. It is encouraging that while 30 percent of Jacksonville s population is black, 28 percent of our elected officials are black. This has not always been the case, as you ll see on p. 21. Residents trust that their voice is heard in politics and decision-making when they see and hear elected representatives who are familiar with their culture and top line issues. It is disturbing then that none of Jacksonville s elected officials are Hispanic or Asian. Finally, this is only a report card. It cannot tell the story of why disparities improve or worsen. And it cannot define a plan for action. However, we have seen in this community that when sufficient time and resources are invested in narrowing just one of the gaps evident here, everybody s quality of life improves. Fortunately, this report provides encouragement for those committed to improving lives. For example, rates of delinquent youth are decreasing amongst all races, with rates among blacks decreasing more rapidly than rates among whites or Hispanics (p. 19). Also, for the first time in 27 years two seemingly separate trend lines converge: an equal percent of black and white survey respondents believe racism is a problem in Jacksonville (p.3). Many years of bringing people together and building bridges between the races has changed the conversations we are having about race relations. This indicator s trend lines suggest a healthy change. Solving community problems takes expertise, time, and money, and these days those resources are scarcer than ever. However, this should not prevent our community from investing in recovery. Jacksonville s public and private investments in narrowing disparities between white, black, Hispanic, and Asian people have succeeded, as evident here. 2

3 As a community, we need to keep the pressure on by committing our time, talent, and treasure to solving Jacksonville s problems. There is still a lot of work to do. 3

4 RACE RELATIONS PROGRESS REPORT REVIEW COMMITTEE Vilma Consuegra, Chair Lori Bilello Jacque Bowen Irvin PeDro Cohen Dane Grey Deidre Lane Dennis Wade Heather Downs Jim Love Maria Hane Mark Fafard Maira Martelo Edgar Mathis Blake Osner Mary Rose Tom Rodgers THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS 4

5 JCCI Board of Directors J.F. Bryan IV, Chair Lee Brown III Jennifer Chapman Jarik Conrad Rena Coughlin Anne Egan Mary Goldsmith Broderick Green John Thompson Introduction John Hirabayashi Coley Jones Matthew Kane Joshua Lief Jennifer Mansfield William Bill Mason David Meyer Jeanne Miller Peter O Brien Amanda Patch Lee Poechmann Stephen Pollan Crystal Rountree Derrick Smith James Stevenson Candace Thompson In 2002, JCCI released a citizen-led study, Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations. The study documented that racial disparities were prevalent locally in six areas: education, income and employment, housing, health, criminal justice, and the political process. Beyond the Talk concluded that quality of life disparities are caused by multiple factors: individual racism, individual behavior, and the practices of public and private institutions. Beyond the Talk presented a set of 27 recommendations to improve race relations in Jacksonville and to eliminate racial disparities. A primary recommendation stated that JCCI should convene citizens to create and distribute an annual report card on race relations in Jacksonville, modeled after JCCI s Quality of Life Progress Report. The report card should measure racial disparities as well as perceptions of racism and discrimination in Jacksonville. This is the 2012 update of the Race Relations Progress Report. It uses data from various sources, including the U.S. Census, Florida Department of Education, and the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office. In addition, some indicators rely on data from an annual survey of Jacksonville residents. While the report aims to show changes over time, it specifically compares 2011 to the previous year. Volunteers decided that a rate of change should be shown in a Percent Change column, offering readers a look at how fast or slow change occurred based on 2010 data. Committee members have been concerned that the Race Relations Progress Report shows as much information as possible about the various racial and ethnic populations in Jacksonville. In all cases where the data were available, this report shows trends among white, black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American residents of Jacksonville. In some cases, accurate data were simply not available. Caution should be taken in interpreting trend lines where there are large fluctuations, which tends to occur when the base population is small. Also because Hispanic refers to ethnicity and not race, care should be taken with population estimates. The 2011 American Community Survey provided the following information about Duval County s population: Asian Native American Other % 29.5% 7.9% 4.1%.3% 1.9% 2

6 The University of Florida s Bureau of Economic and Business Research provided these detailed estimates and projections of Jacksonville s population (non-hispanic white and black populations represented): Other Total Population % 29.7% 8.4% 7.1% 887, % 30.7% 9.5% 7.4% 928, % 31.7% 10.5% 7.6% 967, % 32.5% 11.3% 7.8% 1,003, % 33.2% 12.1% 8. 1,038,403 A further look at race, ethnicity and age groups, based on the 2011 American Community Survey, further confirms shifts occurring in Duval County s population. Age Groups by Race, Duval County, Asian/Other 72% 63% 54% 53% 45% 37% 3 31% 26% 2 8% 1 1 4% 4% 6% 5% 8% 8% 6% AGES 65+ AGES AGES AGES AGES 0-17 Survey Methodology: The surveys in this report were conducted by American Public Dialogue for the JCCI Quality of Life Progress Report. The survey was designed to provide a representative sample of the Jacksonville population as a whole, and is less reliable statistically when looking at sub-population responses. Standard deviations are +/-5.5% for white responses and +/- 9.1% for black responses. For all other racial or ethnic categories, the margin of error is too high to provide any meaningful information. 2

7 PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF RACISM Progress Made For the first time in 27 years, the proportion of Whites and Blacks who think racism is a problem is the same. Agreement on a problem is a step toward solving it. How are we doing? Needs Improvement The percent of Whites reporting racism while shopping increased from 7% to 16%. A higher percent of Whites responded that racism is a problem. Perceptions of Racism as a Problem in Jacksonville The Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study concluded, The wide range of perceptions among Jacksonville s citizens about past and current racial disparities impedes resolution of all problems in race relations. Shared understanding of the extent of the problem is often a prerequisite to reaching agreement on how to solve that problem. JCCI has tracked perceptions of racism in Jacksonville since The survey question asks, In your opinion during the last year, do you feel that racism is a problem in Jacksonville? Black White Yes responses (racism is a problem): White Black % 69% % 53% Difference % Change 26.8% -23.2% 4 2 Source: American Public Dialogue Personal Experiences of Racism Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations also found that differing perceptions of race relations are related to differences in experiences and perceptions of discrimination. For example, in both 2004 and 2008 surveys of Jacksonville residents found that 88 percent of black respondents agreed with the statement that blacks in Jacksonville [are] treated less fairly than whites in dealing with the police. In 2004, 39 percent of white respondents agreed and in 2008, the percentage of white respondents who agree increased to 55 percent. These differences in experiences and perceptions shape race relations. Since 2000, JCCI has tracked how people respond to the question, Thinking about your own possible experience with racism, do you believe that you have personally experienced racism during the past year while shopping, while at work, or while renting or buying housing in Jacksonville? Yes responses to shopping, which consistently have been the highest responses, are represented in the graph below. 3

8 2012 Yes responses (personally experienced racism): Work Shopping Housing White 7% 16% 2% Black 18% 28% 15% Blacks Whites 1 Source: American Public Dialogue 4

9 Progress Made The opportunity gap between White and Black graduation rates is 10 percentage points. In , 15 points separated them. EDUCATION How are we doing? Needs Improvement While 83 percent of Hispanic residents hold a high school diploma, less than a quarter (23 percent) have a bachelor s degree. High School Graduation Rates Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations found that eliminating disparities in school performance is critical to ensuring a high quality of life for all Jacksonville citizens. The following year, the Public Education Reform inquiry called the achievement gap the primary challenge facing the public education system, and launched a further inquiry on how to eliminate the achievement gap. Graduating from high school increases opportunities for employment and opens the door to higher education and better employment. 10 Asian White Hispanic Black Graduation Rates White 70.5% 72.7% Black 54.8% 62.3% Hispanic % Asian 81.9% 80.6% Native American 66.7% 72.2% 2 Source: Florida Department of Education FCAT Reading Proficiency The 2008 Strategic Plan for the Duval County Public Schools states, The achievement gap in Duval County can and must be eliminated. Reading scores at grade level (Level 3 or above on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test [FCAT], Sunshine State Standards [SSS], and alternative assessments) are a key measure of this gap. In , a new assessment was introduced, FCAT 2.0. Those results are not comparable to previous years which are indicated by the gap in the trend line below. 5

10 10 Asian Source: Florida Department of Education Reading at Grade Level, By Grade, During the course of a child s experience in school, the expectations in reading become more difficult. The tests become harder. While more is expected of all students, the achievement gaps (already significant in the third grade) widen even further. By grade level, reading scores were as follows: Percentage of public school students reading at grade level (FCAT SSS), Asian Grade Asian 3 67% 35% 49% % 44% 56% 73% 5 71% 42% 54% 72% 6 65% 37% 52% 68% % 53% 71% 8 63% 35% 47% 62% 9 66% 31% 45% 66% % 45% 62% Grade Level Source: Florida Department of Education 6

11 Educational Attainment, 2011 Educational attainment measures the percentage of adults 25 years of age or older who have high school diplomas (or the equivalent) and those who have college degrees. The gap in educational attainment remains high and is increasing in the area of college degrees. Educational Attainment: High School Diplomas % 84.8% 83.3% Educational Attainment: Bachelor s or Higher % 15% 22.5% 10 High School Diploma White Black Hispanic Bachelor's Degree or Higher White Black Hispanic Source: American Community Survey 7

12 EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME Progress Made Though slight changes, Black median household income increased and White unemployment decreased. How are we doing? Needs Improvement The gap between the White and Black unemployment rates increased to 11 pointswidest in eight years. Unemployment Rates In 2004, the American Community Survey, a program of the U.S. Census, began calculating unemployment rates by race at the county level. While white unemployment decreased from 2010 to 2011, black unemployment increased, which meant the gap in unemployment rates between white and black workers increased. The Hispanic unemployment rate increased, although slightly. 25% 2 15% Unemployment rates % 17.3% % % Difference % Change % +3.1% 1 5% Source: American Community Survey Median Household Income Median household income, as measured by the American Community Survey and adjusted for inflation, declined for white households in 2011 and increased slightly for black households. This meant that in 2011, black median household income was 62 percent of white median household income, up from 60 percent in 2010, while Hispanic median household income grew from 69 to 82 percent of white non-hispanic household income $ 53,876 $ 32,395 $ 44, $ 52,575 $ 32,584 $ 42,190 Difference -$ 1,301 +$ 189 -$ 1,988 % Change -2.4% +0.6% -4.5% 8

13 $80,000 $60,000 $40,000 $20,000 $ Source: American Community Survey 9

14 Children in Low Income Households Children in families with a household income of less than 130 percent of the poverty line are eligible for the free lunch program at school, and children in families with a household income of less than 185 percent of the poverty line are eligible for reduced-price lunches. For example, if the family had four people in it, the official United States poverty line in 2011 for a family their size was $22, percent of the poverty line would be $29,055, and 185 percent would be $41,348 for this example family of four. In , one-third of all white children attending public school, or 16,381, participated in this program. The program is voluntary, and it is not known how many eligible children do not participate. The percentage of black children participating was more than twice that of whites, at 71 percent, or 39,303. Hispanic participants, 6,106, are at nearly twice the rate of white children Asian Free and reduced-price lunch participation rates: Asian % % 32.4% % 70.7% 57.8% 31.7% Difference -1.2% -0.3% -0.9% -0.7% % Change -3.5% -0.4% -1.5% -2.2% 2 Source: Florida Department of Education Percent of Births Using Medicaid as Payment Source A pregnant woman qualifies for Medicaid if the total income for the family falls under 185 percent of the poverty line. In 2011 a family of four living on less than $41,348 would qualify. Births to mothers who use Medicaid as a payment source is one way to measure the percentage of children born into low-income households % 71.5% 53.6% % 70.7% 55.1% Difference -0.1% -0.8% +1.5% % Change -0.3% -1.1% +2.8% Source: Florida CHARTS 10

15 Progress Made Hispanic Homeownership increased. Racial and ethnic gap in renters paying too much for housing disappeared. Gap in perceptions of neighborhood safety closed. HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS How are we doing? Needs Improvement A Black-White disparity in homeownership rates increased. A higher percent of Hispanics pay a high percent of their income for housing. Homeownership Owning one s home can bring stability and wealth for your family. Homes can also be passed down, helping reduce the financial burden of future generations. This indicator compares the percentage of homeowners across white, black and Hispanic residents. The percent of black and white householders who own their home remained steady between 2010 and 2011 while the percent of Hispanics who own increased Percent of Households Who Own White Black Hispanic Percentage of Homeowners Difference % Change +0.1% -2.1% +8.6% Source: American Community Survey Mortgage Denial Rate Purchasing a home is often the largest investment a person will make. Unlike other indicators, these data are for the Jacksonville metropolitan area. In the five county area, applications for conventional home mortgage loans are denied more often for black and Hispanic applicants than they are for white applicants. When the data are sorted by income levels, based on a median family income of $66,401 in 2011, the disparities are greater among middle and high-income households W/B gap W/H gap Very Low Income 36.2% 34.2% 38.5% % Low Income Middle Income High Income 24.1% % -3.9% -13.4% 18.5% 33.3% % -9.5% 11.9% 26.9% 30.5% % Very Low Income Low Income Middle Income High Income Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act 11

16 Households Paying 3 or More for Housing The cost of housing is generally the most significant item in a household budget. In general, housing is considered to be affordable if it costs less than 30 percent of the total monthly household income. In 2011, 38 percent of white homeowners in Duval County paid more than the affordable benchmark for housing, compared to 47 percent of Hispanic homeowners and 50 percent of black homeowners. Among those renting their housing, 55 percent of white households paid more than 30 percent of their monthly income for housing, compared to 60 percent of black renters and 65 percent of Hispanic renters. Renters Homeowners Source: American Community Survey Renters Homeowners % 65.3% 47.9% 39.7% 51.6% 41% % % 37.6% 49.8% 46.7% Difference +6.9% -5.3% +16.8% -2.1% -1.8% +5.7% % Change +14.3% -8.1% +35.1% -5.3% -3.5% +13.9% Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety The quality of housing and the quality of neighborhoods are important factors in the quality of life. One way to reflect the quality of housing is the perceived safety of neighborhoods. In surveys, Jacksonville residents reported different feelings of safety about their neighborhoods in response to the question: Do you feel safe walking alone in your neighborhood at night? 8 6 White respondents Black respondents % 49.2% % 67.1% Difference % Change +5.4% +36.4% 4 White respondents Black respondents 2 Source: American Public Dialogue 12

17 HEALTH Progress Made Heart disease death rates decreased for Black and Hispanic residents, and the Black- White disparity closed. How are we doing? Infant Death Rate Needs Improvement A Black-White disparity in infant deaths decreased in recent years. In 2011 the gap widened again. Rates of New HIV cases are increasing. The infant mortality rate (the number of infants that die before reaching one year of age per 1,000 infants born) is a sentinel indicator used to evaluate a population s overall health and access to health care. JCCI s 2008 Infant Mortality study concluded: The failure of our community to successfully address the longstanding issues of racism, poverty, and socio-economic disparities is killing our babies. The high infant mortality rate is not merely a health problem and not merely a black problem; it is everyone s problem. 20 Black Hispanic White Infant death rates per 1,000 infants born Difference % Change -5.5% +9.4% -36.8% 5 0 Source: Florida CHARTS Caution should be taken in interpreting trendlines where there are large fluctuations in the graphs, which tends to occur when the base population is small, such as the number of Hispanic infants born during the year. Rate of New HIV Cases Contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, can lead to serious health consequences. People who test positive for HIV may or may not contract Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, a debilitating and often fatal disease. In Jacksonville, the rate of new HIV cases in the black population is six-and-a-half times the rate of the white population, and the rate among the black population is increasing. New HIV Cases per 100,000 residents Difference % Change +20.2% +23.7% -28.2% 50 0 Source: Florida CHARTS 13

18 Heart Disease Death Rate Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Duval County. In 2011, rates of heart disease deaths increased for whites and decreased for blacks, which meant the gap between white and black heart disease death rates decreased. Hispanic death rates due to heart disease declined at a faster rate than for blacks Black White Hispanic Heart Disease Deaths per 100,000 residents Difference % Change +6.1% Source: Florida CHARTS Diabetes Death Rate Diabetes is a chronic disease that contributes to and causes death. The Black diabetes death rate is twice as high as the White rate, and the Hispanic rate in 2011 was higher than the White rate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that overall, the risk of death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people of a similar age who do not have diabetes. 1 Diabetes Deaths per 100,000 residents Difference % Change Source: Florida CHARTS 1 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 14

19 JUSTICE AND LEGAL SYSTEM Progress Made The rate of misdemeanor and felony admissions decreased for Blacks and Whites. The percent of youth referred to the Dept. of Juvenile Justice decreased for all races and ethnicities. How are we doing? Needs Improvement Blacks are overrepresented in admissions to the Duval County Jail. While the total number of homicides is down, more White and Hispanic homicides occurred in Inmate Admissions The 2002 Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study found that the disproportionate number of blacks who are incarcerated in Jacksonville contributes to the incidence of single-parent families, economic disparities, disproportionate disenfranchisement, and the perception that racial minorities should distrust the criminal-justice system. Duval County Population by Race % 62.3% White Black Other Inmate Admissions by Race % 47.1% White Black Other Racial Comparison in Duval County, 2011 White Black % Total Jacksonville Population 62.3% 29.7% % of Inmate Admissions 47.1% 51.9% 15

20 Inmate Admissions for Misdemeanors Total Number of Misdemeanor admissions: White Black ,375 11, ,902 10,704 Difference % Change -4.2% -8.3% Misdemeanor Admissions per 1,000 population White Black Difference % Change -11.6% -9.2% 100 Misdemeanor Admissions per 1,000 Duval County Residents White Black Source: Jacksonville Sheriff s Office 16

21 Felony Admissions Total Number of Felony admissions White Black ,949 7, ,054 7,948 Difference % Change % Felony admissions per 1,000 population White Black Difference % Change % Felony Admissions per 1,000 Duval County Residents 100 White Black Source: Jacksonville Sheriff s Office 17

22 Homicide Rates per 100,000 Population In 2011, the Florida Office of Vital Statistics recorded 88 homicides, down from 93 in A homicide is one person killing another person, no matter the reason, whether justifiable, excusable, or accidental. This indicator includes police shootings and vehicular homicides. A homicide counts as a murder when the killing is determined to be criminal. Of the 88 homicides committed in 2011, 76, (or 86 percent) were murders. 35 Black Hispanic White Total Homicides: Difference % Change +52.6% -19.7% +33.3% Homicide rate per 100, Difference % Change +44.7% -8.6% +35.1% Source: Florida CHARTS Youth Referred to Department of Juvenile Justice In , 3,107 youth ages (both male and female) in Duval County were referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice. This represents about four percent of the total youth population which was 82,060. By race and ethnicity the percent of youth ages referred to Juvenile Justice were as follows: Referrals to Department of Juvenile % 7.2% 1.5% % 5.9% 1.3% Difference -.5% -1.3% -.2% % Change -17.2% -18.1% -13.3% 15% 1 Black White Hispanic 5% Source: Florida Department of Juvenile 18

23 Progress Made No disparity between black and white voter registration and turnout rates. The percent of black elected officials is in line with the percent of black population in Jacksonville. How are we doing? Voter Registration Needs Improvement No Hispanic or Asian elected officials amongst the 40 representing Jacksonville. A large portion of survey respondents of all races and ethnicities said they had little or no influence on local government. Engagement in the political process begins with registering to vote. In 2012, voter registration increased from While in 2008 the black registration rate was 1 percent higher than the white rate, in 2012 the white rate was 1 percent higher than the black rate. The Hispanic voter registration rate increased from 2008 to 2012, although Hispanic rate remains a little more than half of white and black registration rates Voter registration rates in 2012 # registered % Difference (2008) % Change White 342, % % Black 155, % % Hispanic 21, % % 2 Source: Duval County Supervisor of Elections Voter Turnout Registering to vote is one step. Exercising the right to vote is the next step. Voter turnout rates in presidential election years, such as this year, or state/congressional election years, such as 2010, are traditionally higher than in local election years, such as In 2009, no general elections were held, though a few special elections were held with limited turnout. Voter turnout rates in presidential elections % 77.3% 68.3% % 74.6% 61. Difference -3.6% -2.7% -7.3% % Change -4.6% -3.5% -10.7% 10 75% 5 Voter turnout in recent elections Local (2011) 38.4% % Presidential (2012) 74.5% 74.6% 61. Difference +36.1% +33.6% % Change % 25% Source: Duval County Supervisor of Elections 19

24 Local Elected Officials by Race Elected officials in Jacksonville traditionally reflect the black and white demographics used in developing designated minority access districts. Of the 40 elected officials in Jacksonville, 7 are School Board representatives, 19 sit on the City Council, 8 are representatives to the Florida Senate and House, and 6 are other elected officials. Other elected officials are 6 Duval County constitutional officers: Mayor, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector, and Clerk of Courts White Black Hispanic Asian Jacksonville Elected Officials, 2012 Asian City Council 74% 26% State legislators 62% 38% School Board 71% 29% Other elected officials 83% 17% Total Elected Officials Difference % Change White 74% 72% -2% -2.7% Black 26% 28% +2% +7.7% Hispanic Asian Source: Duval County Supervisor of Elections Perceived Lack of Influence One key measure of civic engagement is the perception of one s ability to influence government. Negative responses increased in response to the question, As a citizen of Jacksonville, how would you describe your ability to influence local government decision making? Would you say that you have great influence, moderate influence, a little influence, or no influence at all? Little or No Influence responses Difference % Change White 69.7% 76.3% +6.6% +9.5% Black 59.7% 68.4% +8.7% +14.6% Hispanic 33.3% % +50.1% 20

25 10 Perceived Lack of Influence 75% 5 25% Source: American Public Dialogue FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO 21