Our effort to learn through comparing

Valley Benchmark Cities

We compare for context

We compare for validation

We compare to track our progress

We compare for motivation

We compare to understand

If we don’t compare, others will

“Residents who experienced … ‘operational transparency’ in government services – seeing the work that government is doing – expressed more positive attitudes toward government and greater support for maintaining or expanding the scale of government programs.”

What’s in it for us?

Harvard Business School study, 2013

How will you know how you are doing without context?

Valley Benchmark Cities

What have we compared?

Valley Benchmark Cities

Sales Taxes Property Taxes Utility Bills Permit and Development

Fees Land Use Impacts Salaries and Benefits Sustainability Indicators

“Evidence suggests that improved performance occurs at a much greater rate when

performance measures are compared.” Smith and Hartung, 2004

Brent Stockwell | Strategic Initiatives DirectorCity of Scottsdale | City Manager’s Office

480-312-7288 | Bstockwell@ScottsdaleAZ.gov