Survey says...

Citizens don't think they're getting their money's worth from local government!

The Richmond Times Dispatch is reporting that Richmond's auditor's office has released a survey of 800 city residents, and the majority are reporting they don't think they city government is doing a good job spending their tax dollars.

Of note:

• The number of cases cleared per officer in Richmond is two-thirds the rate of Newport News and three-quarters the rate of Virginia Beach, even though Richmond's per capita spending is 2.1 times Newport News' total and 2.4 times Virginia Beach's.

• Richmond's effectiveness in fighting fires, measured by the percentage of fires contained to a single room, lagged behind Newport News' even though per capita spending was nearly 50 percent higher in Richmond.

• About 43 percent of Richmonders surveyed thought city schools do a poor or fair job.

• 70 percent of Richmonders think water and wastewater fees are too high.