• public safety
• neighborhood
• transportation
• recreation and culture
• health and human services
• economic development
• general government

In the 2008 survey, you told us you value smooth roads, well-kept public areas and efficient drainage. We’ve made other efforts to become greener and cleaner, from reducing the time to pick up bulky trash to producing the best drinking water in the state.

• Prevention really is the best medicine. The street flooding that had plagued neighborhoods is diminishing -- more than 13,000 storm drains and pipes were unclogged in 2008 alone. Neighborhood Enhancement Action Teams (NEAT) have not only helped prevent street flooding, they’ve also addressed a host of other neighborhood issues. In 2008, NEAT crews filled more than 45,000 potholes and repaired 12,000 sidewalks. The result: resident satisfaction with overall smoothness of the roads was 57 percent in 2008 a 6-point improvement over 2005.
  
• Cool, clean water right from the tap. Miami-Dade’s tap water exceeds both state and federal standards and has been judged the state’s best-tasting water by the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association. But the judges that matter most are our customers, and your 79 percent satisfaction rating means you trust your water supply.
  
• A dirty job well done. Sewer service is a subject most prefer to avoid, that is until something goes wrong. Thankfully, we do a good job of ensuring things run smoothly earning a 75 percent satisfaction rating in 2008, an increase of 5 points over 2005.
  
• Clean neighborhoods, twice as fast. In three years, the average response time for bulky waste pickup collection has been reduced from 14 to 7 days. Garbage collection service received an 84 percent satisfaction rating. Compared to 2005, overall cleanliness ratings are up 13 points in 2008 to 61 percent.
  
• Creating an urban oasis. You're most likely aware that strategic planting of vegetation spruces up neighborhoods and lowers temperatures. But did you know they also help reduce flooding and slow wear and tear on roads and sidewalks? We do, and we've made major strides in this area with residents. Satisfaction with tree canopy rose 19 points to 59 percent and landscape ratings were up 16 points to 64 percent in 2008 over 2005.