Transcript Slide 1

Public Opinion and Issues in
Anne Arundel County:
Leadership Anne Arundel Presentation
January 20, 2011
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
1
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
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
2
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
 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)
3
LAA Presentation – Feb.
Jan. 28,
20, 2009
2011
 Main Issues
for Today
far as we get!)
 Main
Issues(or
foras
Today
– County - Right/Wrong direction
– Most important problems
– Economic conditions
– Perceptions of the future
– Tax and spending preferences
– Housing
– Crime
– Immigration
4
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
County – Right/Wrong Direction
Remarkable stability in right/wrong direction…
57
54
58
62
66
60 61 62
58 58
55
Right 51
53
57 55
51 52 51 50 52
52 52
47
49
Right
Wrong
Unsure
Fa '10
Sp '10
Fa '09
Sp '09
Fa '08
Sp '08
Fa '07
Sp '07
Fa '06
Sp '06
Fa '05
Sp '05
Fa '04
Sp '04
Fa '03
Sp '03
Fa '02
Sp '02
Fa '01
Sp '01
Fa '00
Sp '00
Fa '99
Wrong 34
33 32 31
31
29
29
28 27 28 28
27 25
27 26
27
26
25
25
24 23
24
23
21
21
21 20 23
20 19
20
20
19
19
18
18 16 18
15
17
16 17 17
15 15 14 Unsure
13
12
Sp '99
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
County – Most Important Problem
Economy still top problem, but mostly unchanged since
March 2009
60
50
48
40
38
33
30
36
23
20
10
36
13
10
8
7
15
10
7
10
15
12
9
7
17
20
16
12
12
10
8
11
13
12
0
Fall '04
Spring
Fall '05
'05
Spring
'06
Fall '06
Spring
Fall '07
Spring
'07
Fall '08
'08
Spring
Fall '09
'09
Spring
Fall '10
Mean
'10
Economy /Housing
Taxes – too high
Growth /development
Education /
Traffic congestion /problems
Crime / drugs
6
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
County – Economic Conditions vs. State and USA
Percentage saying “excellent” or “good” economy also stable since March
2009
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
S '09
F '09
S '10
Anne Arundel County
F '10
S '09
F '09
S '10
Maryland
F '10
S '09
F '09
S '10
USA
F '10
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
Economic Concerns: Perceptions of the
Local and National Economies 2002-2010
“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
74
76
74
70
56 56
60
30
38
27
74
71
69
34
38
31
55
49
46
42
County
28
22
48
44
45
10 11
11
32
27
17
20
10
71
CSLI - AA County
34
26
71
62
50
40
74
National
Gallup
- USA
5
5
0
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 S '10 F '10
8
Some costs have
gone down
70
59
60
56
63
61
58 59 59
55 55 56 56
60
53
50
50
42
40
40
44 43
32
30
24
21
21
20
13
11 12
10
21
17
15
10
0
Unable to find affordable Wages or salaries are not Hard to afford the cost of Hard to afford the cost of
housing
rising as fast as the cost
transportation
of living
S '08
F '08
S '09
F '09
S '10
Taxes are too high in
utilities such as
relation to government
electricity or gas
services provided
F '10
80
70
60
Stock market
recovery lessened
‘losses’ percentage
75
Unemployment
rose sharply from
March ‘08 to March
‘09 and hasn’t
changed much
since
71
70
Health care anxiety
unchanged despite
reform…
60
56
51
50
46 47
Minor
improvement in
readiness to
spend
40
30
24 24
19
20
44
35
30 29
33 32 34
21
15
11
10
6
4
6
8
7
7
0
Facing the possibility of Significant losses in your Facing the possibility of Delay in making a major Health care insurance is
unemployment
stock or retirement
house foreclosure or loss purchase such as a home
accounts
S '08
or car
F '08
S '09
F '09
S '10
F '10
unavailable, too
expensive or inadequate
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
Economic Concerns by Various Demographic Factors
80
Income differences influence wages, unemployment, housing, affording utilities, health care and taxes
70
60
50
40
Black
30
White
Men
20
Women
Under $75
10
Over $75
0
11
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
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
14
LAA Presentation: Jan. 20, 2011
 Funding Government – cut programs or cut spending?
(Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2009)
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
The county faces up to a $90 million deficit for the 2011 fiscal year. Which
of the following do you think would be the best in dealing with this deficit:
Cutting government services, raising taxes, or some of both? Spring 2010
Cutting services
Raising taxes
Some of both
27%
8%
55%
13
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
Budget Measures: Taxes, Cuts, Spending
Support for various budget measures
Support
Oppose
Unsure
NA
Increasing impact fees on new construction in AA County F08
63
31
6
Increase income taxes for those over $200k F07
61
36
3
Increase corporate income taxes F07
60
54
37
3
39
8
Furloughing county employees to help balance the county’s
budget S09
43
44
12
Adding a $30 fee to property taxes to pay for stream and
waterway restoration F09
39
56
5
Increase in gasoline tax F07
33
61
6
Cutting millions in state aid to localities F09
32
41
27
General increase in income taxes F03
26
24
72
3
58
19
Maintaining current levels of funding for public schools F09
78
17
5
Maintaining the tuition freeze for the Univ. of Maryland F09
79
15
6
Increasing the tax on alcoholic products F09
Shifting the cost of teachers’ pensions to local governments
F09
14
As county government prepares for the upcoming 2011 fiscal budget, it will consider how to cut
spending. As I mention an area of spending, tell me whether spending should be reduced, kept
the same or increased as government seeks to balance its budget. (S09)
Service
Reduced
Kept the same
Increased
Don’t know
Fire department
2
50
46
2
Police department
5
41
53
1
Public Schools
6
35
58
2
The community college
6
49
41
4
Seniors’ services
7
52
39
3
Libraries
8
64
26
2
Roads
10
51
39
1
Health Department
13
46
34
6
Social Services
16
45
35
4
Parks and Recreation
17
59
22
3
Environmental Oversight
18
47
31
4
Planning and Zoning
29
49
13
9
15
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
Future: Better, Same or Worse?
Thinking about this County’s future, please tell me whether you think the
following things will be better, about the same or worse in 2020. (F09)
Economic conditions
47
About
the
same
20
Growth and development
35
29
31
6
Access to health care
32
23
34
10
Public schools
29
29
37
5
Health care quality
29
32
32
7
Water quality of the Bay and tributaries
29
23
44
5
Air quality
24
32
40
4
Availability of fresh water
17
43
32
7
Crime
11
30
54
6
8
21
66
5
Better
Local taxes
Worse
Unsure
(vol.)/NA
26
8
16
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
 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%
17
18
19
18
16
15
16
14
12
11
10
8
6
6
4
4
2
0
Overall
18-29
30-44
45-60
60+
20
One Thing to Most Improve Safety
21
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
 Immigration Questions – Various (Spring 2008)
22
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
 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?
23
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
 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
24
LAA Presentation – Jan. 20, 2011
 Stances on Immigration Issues by Political Party (Spring 2008)
25
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
26