|
No |
Goal |
Goal Description |
Indicators |
Why is this important? |
|
I. Silicon Valley Innovative Economy Increases
Productivity and Broadens Prosperity |
|
1 |
Innovation and Entrepreneurship |
Silicon Valley continues to lead
the world in technology and innovation. |
Number of Silicon Valley
fast-growth public companies in national "Fast 500" |
High numbers of
fast-growing companies
reflect high levels of innovation in the Valley. By generating
accelerated increases in sales, these firms stimulate the development of
other businesses and personal spending throughout the region. |
|
Total venture capital investment
in Silicon Valley per year |
Companies that have passed
the screen of venture capitalists are innovative, are
entrepreneurial and have growth potential. Typically only firms with
potential for exceptionally high rates of growth of over a five- to
ten-year period will attract
venture capital. These firms are usually highly innovative in their
technology and market focus. |
|
Number of IPOs and M&As in Silicon
Valley |
Through Initial Public Offerings
(IPOs) and mergers and acquisitions (M&As), companies access resources
to develop technologies and products to their next level. Both IPOs and
M&As are important routes to liquidity for
entrepreneurs
and investors in entrepreneurial
companies. The numbers of IPOs and M&As are indicators of successful
entrepreneurship and future high-growth companies. |
|
2 |
Quality Growth |
Silicon Valley economy grows from
increasing skills and knowledge, rising productivity and more efficient
use of resources. |
Real per capita income growth |
Growing real income per capita is
a bottom-line measure of wealth-creating, competitive economy. The
indicator is total personal income from all sources (e.g., wages,
investment earnings, self-employment) adjusted for inflation and divided
by the total resident population. |
|
Value Added per Employee |
Value added is a proxy for
productivity and reflects
how much economic value companies create. Increased value added is a
prerequisite for increased wages. Innovation, process improvement and
industry/product mix drive value added, which is derived by subtracting
costs of a company's materials, inputs and contracted services from the
revenue earned from its products. |
|
3 |
Broadened Prosperity |
Silicon Valley economic growth
results in a higher standard of living for lower-income people. |
Change in household income at the
top 20% and bottom 20% of the income distribution |
Household income includes income
from wages, investments, Social Security and welfare payments for all
people in the household. The indicator compares the income available to
a representative four-person household at identical points in the
distribution over different periods of time. |
|
4 |
Economic Opportunity |
All people, especially the
disadvantaged, have access to training and jobs with advancement
potential. |
High school and additional
education and training graduation rates |
The high school graduation rate is
a risk indicator that warns of lost potential and future societal costs
resulting from people being un- or underemployed. A multicultural,
highly skilled workforce has unique advantages for a globally
competitive region. Providing a quality education for all ethnic groups
is a prime objective in Silicon Valley. |
|
II.
Silicon Valley Communities Protect the Natural Environment and Promote
Livability |
|
5 |
Protect Nature |
Meeting high standards for
improving the air and water quality, protecting and restoring the
natural environment and conserving natural resources. |
Air quality improvement |
High-quality air is fundamental to
the health of people, nature and the regional economy. The number of
days that Silicon Valley air exceeds ozone and particulate matter
standards is an indicator of air contamination. Ozone is the main
component of smog and vehicles are the primary source of ozone-creating
emissions. The health consequences associated with fine particulate
matter (PM10) are more severe than those associated with ozone. Fine
particulate matter – including dust, smoke, and soot – is generated
primarily during construction and burning wood. |
|
Water use and reuse |
Water is a limited resource
because water supply is subject to changes in climate and state and
federal regulation. The quantity and quality of water are essential to
residents and to technology manufacturing industries.
Sustainability in the long term requires that communities,
workplaces and agricultural operations efficiently use and reuse water. |
|
6 |
Preserve Open Space |
Increasing the amount of
permanently protected open space, publicly accessible parks and green
space. |
The share of permanently protected
open space |
Preserving open space protects
natural habitats, provides recreational opportunities, focuses
development and safeguards the visual appeal of the region. This
indicator tracks lands permanently protected through public ownership or
conservation easements in Silicon Valley and its perimeter. |
|
7 |
Efficient Land Use |
Most residential and commercial
growth happens through recycling land and buildings in developed areas.
Silicon Valley grows inward, not outward, maintaining a distinct edge
between developed land and open space. |
Efficiency of land used for
housing (average units per acre of new residential development) |
By directing growth to already
developed areas, local jurisdictions can reinvest in existing
neighborhoods, use transportation systems more efficiently and preserve
nearby rural settings. |
|
8 |
Livable Communities |
Creating vibrant communities where
housing, employment, places of worship, parks and services are located
together, and are all linked by transit and other alternatives to
driving alone. |
New housing units and new jobs
within 1/4 mile of rail stations and major bus corridors |
Focusing new economic and housing
development near rail stations and major bus corridors reinforces the
creation of compact, walkable communities linked to transit. This helps
to reduce traffic congestion on Silicon Valley freeways. |
|
9 |
Housing Choices |
Placing a high priority on
developing well-designed housing options that are affordable to people
of all ages and income levels. Silicon Valley strives for balance
between growth in jobs and growth in housing. |
Total new housing units approved,
including new affordable housing units |
Silicon Valley economy and
community life depend on a broad range of jobs. Building housing that is
affordable to lower- and moderate-income households provides access to
opportunity and maintains balance in the communities. This indicator
measures housing units approved for development by Silicon Valley cities
in each fiscal year; this is more "upstream" measure than actual housing
starts. |
|
Rate of growth in jobs and housing
production |
Building housing commensurate with
job growth helps mitigate commute traffic, moderate housing price
increases and ease workforce shortages. |
|
Percent of houses affordable to
median-income households; percent of monthly income to pay median rent |
The affordability, variety and
location of housing affect a region's ability to maintain a viable
economy and high quality of life. Lack of affordable housing in a region
encourages longer commutes, which diminish productivity, curtain family
time and increase traffic congestion. Lack of affordable housing also
restricts the ability of service workers – such as teachers, registered
nurses and police officers – to live in the communities in which they
work. |
|
III.
Silicon Valley Inclusive Society Connects People to Opportunities |
|
10 |
Education As a Bridge To
Opportunity |
All students gain the knowledge
and life skills required to succeed in the global economy and society. |
Share of Silicon Valley third
graders scoring at national benchmarks |
Research shows that students who
do not achieve reading mastery by the end of third grade risk falling
behind further in school. Silicon Valley does not have a standardized
way to measure mastery of reading at the end of third grade. The only
measure available regionally is the Stanford Achievement Test Series
which measures performance relative to national distribution. |
|
Percentage of high school students
enrolled in intermediate algebra, by ethnicity |
Completing Algebra I and moving to
advanced math courses is important for students planning to enter
postsecondary education as well as for students entering the workforce
after high school, especially for technology jobs. This indicator shows
the share of high school students enrolled in Intermediate Algebra,
which follows Algebra I and is typically taken in tenth or eleventh
grade. |
|
Percent of students completing
University course requirements |
Passing a breadth of core courses
required for college entry is a measure of achievement, capacity and
readiness. Completing some type of education beyond high school is
increasingly important for participating in the high-wage sectors of the
Silicon Valley economy. |
|
Number and percentage of public
school teachers without full certification |
Teacher certification status is
one indicator of a teacher's qualifications. Teaching staff with
emergency permits, certification waivers and those participating in
various internship programs have not completed the relevant coursework
required for state certification to teach in a public school classroom.
National research shows that emergency and temporary certification is
higher among teachers with three or fewer years of teaching experience. |
|
11 |
Transportation Choices |
Overcoming transportation barriers
to employment and increasing mobility by investing in an integrated,
accessible regional transportation system. |
Number of rides on regional
transportation system per capita |
A larger share of workers using
alternatives to driving alone indicates progress in increasing access to
jobs and in improving the livability of Silicon Valley communities.
Pedestrian- and transit-oriented development in neighborhoods and
employment and shopping centers increases opportunities for walking,
bicycling, and using public transportation instead of driving. |
|
Areas within 45 minute commute by
transit to major job center |
The ability to access major job
centers in Silicon Valley by transit is important for decreasing
congestion and for connecting all people, including the working poor, to
quality job opportunities. Regions increase opportunities for all
workers to access quality jobs by investing in transit and by locating
workplaces and housing close to transit. |
|
Percent of freeway miles operating
at level of service "F" (the worst possible) |
Traffic congestion is a key factor
affecting quality of life. Traffic congestion is a function of overall
economic activity and regional design – the location of jobs and housing
and the availability of other travel options, such as public transit,
carpooling, biking, walking and telecommuting. This indicator shows the
number and share of freeway miles operating at service level "F" during
the afternoon peak travel time. Level "F" is the worst possible rating
and means forced-flow traffic with travel speeds of less than 35 miles
per hour. |
|
12 |
Healthy People |
All people have access to
high-quality, affordable health care that focuses on disease and illness
prevention. |
Share of births that are low
weight; Immunization levels of children; Deaths due to coronary heart
disease |
The proportion of children with
low birth weight is a predictor of future costs that communities will
incur for preventable health problems, special education and crime.
Timely childhood immunization promote long-term health, save lives,
prevent significant disability and lower medical costs. Coronary heart
disease is the cause of death that is most preventable through proper
nutrition, exercise, not smoking and access to basic health care. |
|
13 |
Safe Places |
All people are safe in their
homes, workplaces, schools and neighborhoods. |
Violent crimes per 100,000
residents; Juvenal felony arrests per 100,000 10- to 17-year olds |
The level and perception of crime
in a community are significant factors that affect quality of life.
Crime has wide-ranging effects on communities. In addition to economic
costs, the fear, frustration and instability resulting from crime chisel
away the sense of community and undermine people's ability to prosper. |
|
14 |
Arts and culture that bind
community |
Arts and cultural activities
reach, link and celebrate diverse communities of the region. |
Culture and Creativity Index,
which includes 30 progress measures about arts,
culture and creativity
in the region |
Arts and cultural activities are
important for Silicon Valley's economic and civic future. Creative
expression is an important foundation for an economy based on
innovation. And participation in arts and
cultural activities
connects diverse people to each other and to their community. |
|
IV.
Silicon Valley Regional Stewardship Develops Shared Solution |
|
15 |
Civic Engagement |
All residents, business people and
elected officials think regionally, share responsibility and take action
on behalf of the region's future. |
Number of charitable funds
established at Silicon Valley community foundations; Gifts to and grants
from these funds |
Giving back to the community and
helping others less fortunate are important parts of citizenship in a
region. Asset-based philanthropy can play a strategic role in exploring
new approaches to challenging social problems.
Community foundations help plan and administer
charitable-giving activities for individuals, families and corporations. |
|
Diversity of council membership
compared to population |
Elected office is an important
platform for civic leadership and for encouraging civic involvement by
others. Having elected officials who reflect the
cultural diversity of Silicon Valley can help ensure that diverse
people participate in policy decisions. |
|
16 |
Transcending Boundaries |
Local communities and regional
authorities coordinate their transportation and land use planning for
the benefit of everyone. City, county and regional plans, when viewed
together, add up to a sustainable region. |
Using uniform Building Code
Standard amendments; Participating in Small Permit project; Using
standardized Building Permit form; Offering Web-based permitting; Having
GIS |
Collaborations across government
jurisdictions in Silicon Valley requires developing innovative
approaches to sharing information, setting mutually beneficial goals and
progressing together. This indicator tells the story of how local
jurisdictions have collaborated to upgrade, standardize and link new
approaches to permitting. This experience sets the stage for future
collaboration in areas such as land use and infrastructure planning and
management. |
|
17 |
Matching Resources and
Responsibility |
Valley cities, counties and other
public agencies have reliable, sufficient revenue to provide basic local
and regional public services. |
Growth of revenues and capital
expenditures of Silicon Valley's cities compared to growth in population
and employment; Revenue sources for Silicon Valley Cities |
To maintain service levels, local
government revenues and expenditures must keep pace with population and
job growth. This indicator compares growth in the revenues and capital
expenditures of Silicon Valley cities relative to growth in population
and employment. |