Transcript Slide 1

Public Opinion and Issues in
Anne Arundel County:
Leadership Anne Arundel Presentation
January 7, 2010
Dan Nataf, PhD
Director, Center for the Study of Local Issues
Anne Arundel Community College
101 College Parkway
Arnold, MD 21012
(410) 777-2733
(410) 777-4733 fax
[email protected]
www2.aacc.edu/csli
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010 .
The Center for the Study of Local Issues: Overview
• CSLI – Part of Sarbanes Center
for Public and Community
Service
• Operating since 1978
• Mission: Provide students
opportunities for engaged
learning, community outreach
• Main activity: Public interest and
client surveys/research each
semester
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 The Center for the Study of Local Issues: Overview
Surveys: Respondents randomly chosen from universe of
listed telephone numbers combined with computer
generated numbers
•
Typical sample size: 400-900 respondents; students used
as interviewers
•
Topics: Each survey includes demographic and
attitude/behavior questions, including such themes as:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
Economic conditions
Growth/Development
Transportation
Economic conditions
Education
Tax and spending preferences
Policy preferences
Visit CSLI’s web site for previous surveys
(www2.aacc.edu/csli)
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LAAPresentation
Presentation––Feb.
Jan.28,
7, 2010
LAA
2009
 Main Issues for Today
– County - Right/Wrong direction
– Economic conditions
– Confidence in government
– Housing
– Growth
– Crime
– Education
– Immigration
– Tax and spending preferences
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
County – Right/Wrong Direction
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns – Most Important Problem
60
Economy
50
48
Taxes – too high
Spring 2009
Crime
40
38
Fall 2008
Education
33
Fall 2009
Growth/development
30
22
23
22
10
11
8
5
17
12
10
8
18
16
14
12
8
6
4
14
12
9
7
5
Spring 2008
21
20
17
15
Traffic
congestion/problems
16
16
16
16
13
11
9
12
11
12
12
12
10
15
7
11
9
7
6
8
17 Median
14
13
12
10
9
7
6
6
4
10
8
6
5
4
8
7
5
7
0
F '03
S '04
F '04
S '05
F '05
S '06
F '06
S '07
F '07
S '08
F '08
S '09
F '09
Mean
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: Perceptions of the
Local and National Economies 2002-2009
“Thinking about our county's economy, how would you rate economic conditions
in Anne Arundel County today -- excellent, good, only fair, or poor?”
(Total percentage saying excellent and good)
80
70
74
76
74
74
74
71
71
71
69
62
60
56
56
Anne Arundel County/CSLI polling
50
20
10
0
49
46
48
County 42
40
30
55
38
34
26
27
22
34
38
31
28
USA/Gallup Polling
National
32
27
17
5
10
5
S '02 F'02 S '03 F '03 S '04 F '04 S '05 F '05 S '06 F '06 S '07 F '07 S '08 F '08 S '09 F '09
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: Perceptions of the Fall 2009
Local, State and National Economies by Employment
60
54
50
48
53
Anne Arundel County
48
51
48
46
44
40
35
30
31
30
Maryland
28
22
20
16
14
10
11
7
0
USA
15
11
4
0
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: Applicability of Economic Conditions
Spring 2008 to Fall 2009
4
Facing the possibility of house foreclosure or loss
6
6
8
21
11
12
13
Unable to find affordable housing
Hard to afford cost of transportation
11
Facing the possibility of unemployment
17
15
21
24
24
Health care insurance is unavailable, too expensive…
40
32
35
30
29
33
Delay in making a major purchase such as a home or…
51
46
Hard to afford cost of utilities such as electricity or gas
42
Wages or salaries are not rising as fast as the cost of…
47
Hard to afford cost of taxes
61
50
53
56
59
55
55
58
59
59
71
Significant losses in stocks or retirement accounts
70
0
Spring 2008
10
20
Fall '08
30
40
50
Spring '09
60
70
Fall '09
75
80
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: Applicability of Economic Circumstances
by Income Group (0-$75,000/Greater than $75,000)
80
76
70
62
60
51
50
44
40
10
48
36
30
20
49
23
21
9
29
26
21
13
9
7
0
No affordable
Cost of
housing
Transptn
Health care
Cost of Utilities Unemployment
House Loss
Delay in
Stock loss
purchase
0-$75k
+$75k
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: Applicability of Specific Conditions Fall 2008
by Age Group
Delay in major purchase
Hard to afford cost of utilities such as electricity or
gas
Hard to afford cost of transportation
Health care insurance is unavailable, too expensive
or inadequate
Wages or salaries are not rising as fast as the cost of
living
Facing the possibility of unemployment
Unable to find affordable housing
Facing the possibility of house foreclosure or loss
Hard to afford cost of taxes
Significant losses in stocks or retirement accounts
-40
-30
-20
18-30
-10
31-40
0
41-50
10
51-60
61-65
20
Over 65
30
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: Applicability of Economic Conditions by Gender
Fall 2009
Delay in major purchase
Hard to afford cost of utilities such as electricity or gas
Hard to afford cost of transportation
Health care insurance is unavailable, too expensive or
inadequate
Wages or salaries are not rising as fast as the cost of
living
Facing the possibility of unemployment
Unable to find affordable housing
Women
Facing the possibility of house foreclosure or loss
Men
Hard to afford cost of taxes
Significant losses in stocks or retirement accounts
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
12
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: Applicability of Economic Conditions by Race
Fall 2009
Delay in major purchase
Hard to afford cost of utilities such as electricity or
gas
Hard to afford cost of transportation
Health care insurance is unavailable, too expensive or
inadequate
Wages or salaries are not rising as fast as the cost of
living
Facing the possibility of unemployment
Unable to find affordable housing
Facing the possibility of house foreclosure or loss
Hard to afford cost of taxes
Significant losses in stocks or retirement accounts
-10
-5
0
Whites
5
Afr-Am
10
15
20
25
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Economic Concerns: When will the economy improve? (Fall 2009)
Economic Condition
A stabilization of housing values
A return to steady growth of the economy
A major reduction in the unemployment
rate
A return to a better balance between
revenues and expenditures for state and
local government budgets
A return to a better balance between
revenues and expenditures for the federal
government’s budget
This
year
Next
year
Future
year
Median
year
N.A.
8
5
4
35
32
31
51
59
61
2012
2012
2012
7
5
4
3
16
68
2014
13
3
10
73
2015
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 What will the Future bring - 2004 looking to 2010
and 2008 looking at 2018
Worse
Better
About the
same
Fall 2004
BetterWorse
Fall 2008
BetterWorse
The overall quality of life in the County
33
43
20
13
22
Spiritual or religious life
Economic conditions
Family life
General responsiveness of County
government to citizens’ needs
Ethics in local government
Public schools
Health care
Growth and development
Crime
Water and air quality
Local taxes
Traffic congestion
27
33
27
23
47
40
45
47
15
23
20
20
12
10
7
3
16
13
17
12
20
28
24
30
11
17
5
3
44
28
32
20
42
32
26
5
26
36
36
46
42
49
64
92
-6
-8
-12
-16
-31
-32
-59
-89
-1
0
1
0
-33
-30
-68
-82
15
Preparedness/
Confidence
Econ crisis/ Feds
Econ. Environ. Terror Disaster
Fall
2008
Fall
2009
Very
5
11
8
7
11
11
Somewhat
40
39
45
38
42
49
Not very
53
48
41
50
44
36
No answer
2
2
7
6
3
4
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Confidence/How Prepared are Local Authorities in Event of Terrorist
Strike – 2001-2006
Katrina
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Housing - What is “Affordable Housing?” (asked Fall 2002)
Is the lack of affordable
housing in Anne Arundel
County a problem?
Yes
No
Don’t know
54%
34%
12%
Attribute cited
%
Purchase price
Median: $150-175,000
39%
A type that is lacking in AA County
20%
Housing type – apartments, townhouses, section 8
19%
User type – low income, poor
9%
Other
12%
Total
100%
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Managing Growth:
Main Economic Challenge for the Next Decade (Fall 2005)
Challenge
Managing growth/development
Providing affordable housing
Providing proper skills/education
for workers
Infrastructure, roads
Providing enough jobs
Govt. budget problems/services
Gas prices
Taxes
Other
% Citing
31
19
19
10
9
3
2
2
5
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Economy and Growth: Effectiveness of
County Growth Policies (Fall 2004)
How effective have County policies been regarding growth and planning?
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Economy and Growth: County Growth Choices – New Roads
or Mass Transit (Spring 2001)
To solve the transportation congestion issues that affect you the most, is
it more important to fund new mass transit projects or build new roads
and improve existing ones?
21
LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Approaches for Managing Growth/Transportation (Fall 1998)
Approach to growth and transportation
Yes
No
Build or upgrade highly congested roads and intersections in the
county
77
13
Create a local jitney bus service
71
21
Increase bus availability to major cities (Balt/DC)
69
22
Make it easier to get o MARC trains
67
20
Make it easier to find other people with whom to carpool
63
26
Severely limit new residential development – higher impact fees
54
33
Put moratorium on new residential development in your area
53
35
Reduce fares on public transportation
52
28
Allow more intense development of areas well served by public
transportation
43
45
22
23
24
25
18
16
15
16
14
12
11
10
8
6
6
4
4
2
0
Overall
18-29
30-44
45-60
60+
26
One Thing to Most Improve Safety
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
Education – Perceived Value to Taxpayers?
 Spend More, Same or Less on Public Services? (Spring 2004)
More
%
Same
%
Less
%
Don’t%
know
Public schools
71
23
5
1
Police
60
35
4
1
Fire
53
43
2
2
Community college
46
44
7
3
Seniors’ services
44
45
7
4
Roads
43
49
6
3
Average percentage
41
46
11
3
Environmental
programs
39
44
15
2
Social services
34
43
17
5
Health department
32
54
9
5
Libraries
26
67
6
1
Parks and recreation
26
57
16
2
Planning and zoning
13
42
39
7
Service
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Would Proposals Help, Hurt or have no Effect on the Quality of Public Schools
(Spring 1996)
Help
Hurt
No
effect
Help
Hurt
No
effect
Add Teaching Aides in
Classrooms
91
1
7
Increase Local Community
Control over Schools
69
11
20
Reduce Class Size
89
2
9
Provide More Elective
Courses in Higher Grades
66
13
21
Give Teachers More Power
when Dealing with
Disruptive Students
86
8
7
Allow more variety in the
curriculum
60
15
24
Emphasize a "Return to
Basics" Approach to
Education
86
5
9
Change the School Board
selection process
60
8
33
Provide More Assistance
to Special Education
85
4
10
Provide More Financial
Assistance to Schools doing
Poorly on Standardized Tests
55
13
31
Encourage Flexibility in
Teaching Methods
83
9
8
Add some Specialized
Programs
52
15
33
Increase Teacher Salaries
82
3
15
Introduce School Prayers
52
17
31
Start some Countywide
"Magnet" Schools
79
7
14
Place Some Schools on a Year
Round Schedule
49
24
27
Create a Special High
School for Disruptive
Students
76
13
12
Redistrict schools more
frequently
26
39
36
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Immigration Questions – Various (Spring 2008)
30
LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010 .
 Legal and Illegal Immigrants (Spring 2008)
80
76
68
70
60
50
40
30
22
20
16
8
9
10
0
They strengthen our country
They are a burden on our
because of their hard work
country because they take
and talents
our jobs, housing and health
No answer
care.
Legal
Illegal
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Personally Benefitting from Illegal Immigrants(Spring 2008)
Do you think that you personally have benefited from the services of
illegal immigrants for example in landscaping, construction, restaurants
or janitorial services?
32
LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Stances on Immigration Issues by Political Party (Spring 2008
33
Support
Oppose
Unsure
No
answer
Total
Environmental measures meant to
restrict development in critical areas?
84
11
3
1
99
Efforts by police to identify illegal
immigrants and refer them to federal
immigration services?
70
25
4
1
100
Increasing impact fees on new
construction in our county?
63
31
5
1
100
Creating or increasing fees to sports
leagues that use public parks to cover
the maintenance of those parks?
50
45
4
1
100
Increasing the tax on hotel stays from
7 percent to 10 percent
33
59
6
1
99
Decreasing the drinking age to 18
29
68
2
1
100
A $500 ambulance fee to help pay for
county services?
26
67
6
1
100
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LAA Presentation: Jan. 7, 2010
 Funding Government – cut programs or cut spending?
(Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2007)
Proposal
Spring 2003 Fall 2003 Spring 2009
Cut programs
40
34
61
Increase taxes
36
34
17
Other (combination, other
suggestion)
--
18
14
Don’t know
24
14
8
100
100
100
Total
35
LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Funding Government – Various Approaches (Fall 2003)
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LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Funding Government – % Favoring Raising Income Tax? (Fall 2003)
70
Lib, 62
60
50
40
Dem, 39
18-29, 32
30
30-44, 26
Mod, 25 Women, 25
Overall, 23
45-60, 23
Men, 22
Unaffil, 18
Rep , 14
Cons, 10
20
10
Over $100k, 26
Afr-Am, 23 Cauc., 23 0-$50K, 23
$50k-100k, 18
61+, 14
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
37
LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Funding Government – % Favoring Sales Tax? (Fall 2003)
50
Women, 49
61+, 49
Dem, 48
48
Mod, 47
Lib, 46
46
18-29, 45
Unaffil, 44
44
Overall, 43
Cauc., 43 0-$50K, 43
$50k-100k, 42
42
Rep , 41
Over $100k, 41
30-44, 40
40
45-60, 40
Cons, 39
Afr-Am, 38
38
Men, 37
36
34
32
30
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
38
LAA Presentation – Jan. 7, 2010
 Expenditure reduction – Identify ways to cut govt. spending (open-ended)
(Spring 2003)
Approach (N=85)
Favor
Cases
Reduce government salaries
15
13
Reduce politicians salaries
12
10
Reduce government perks
7
6
Cut waste, administration
11
9
Cut back on specific programs
39
33
Other miscellaneous
16
14
100
85
Total
End
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