An indicator of corporate community involvement is corporate giving per employee, as well as organized efforts to direct employee volunteers to community efforts. And the health of the economy depends on the health of the community. The rate of individual giving and volunteerism are important indicators of commitment to making the community a better place in which to live and work. Forty-nine percent of Silicon Valley residents volunteer at least some amount of time each week, the same as the national average. Of those who volunteer, Silicon Valley residents spend an average of 3.7 hours per week volunteering, compared to 4.2 hours nationally.
City governments provide essential services for households and businesses.
If growth in employment was factored into the per capita calculation, the decline in tax revenue would be even greater. The cities in Santa Clara County did experience an increase in tax revenue per capita during the economic growth from 1985 to 1990, but then a decline from 1990 to 1995. The major structural shift in sources of tax revenue has been toward reliance on sources other than property and sales tax. Other revenue sources include the hotel tax, franchise tax, business license tax, and utility tax.