Idaho Public Policy Survey

18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Boise State University Department of Public Policy & Administration Social Science Research Center http://ppa.boisestate.edu/ssrc College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Social Science Research Center Boise State University 1910 University Dr., PAAW-124 Boise, ID 83725 208-426-1835 http://ppa.boisestate.edu/ssrc Suzanne McCorkle, Ph.D. Interim Dean, College of Social Sciences & Public Affairs • Annually, the SSRC conducts a large-scale survey of Idahoans to identify public policy concerns. The study is provided to public officials and interested citizens. 513 adults in Idaho households representing six geographic regions were surveyed between December 8, 2006 & January 5, 2007. Telephone calls, interviews, data collection and preparation were made by Clearwater Research. The survey standard error is +/- 4% at a 95% confidence-level for the total population. • • Stephanie Witt, Ph.D. Director, Social Science Research Center Director, Public Policy Center Carole Nemnich, MPA SSRC Project Manager Gregory C. Hill, Ph.D. Director, Applied Research Russ Rivera SSRC Graduate Assistant, Project Lead www.clearwater-research.com 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Regions covered in the survey I. II. III. Panhandle - Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Shoshone North Central - Latah, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Lewis, Idaho Southwest - Adams, Valley, Washington, Payette, Gem, Boise, Canyon, Ada, Elmore, Owyhee South Central - Camas, Blaine, Gooding, Lincoln, Minidoka, Jerome, Twin Falls, Cassia Southeast - Bingham, Power, Bannock, Oneida, Franklin, Bear Lake, Caribou East Central - Lemhi, Custer, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Teton, Bonneville IV. V. VI. 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey In general terms, do you think the state is headed in the right direction? Yes 60% No 30% Last Year YES 63.6% Refused 1% DK 9% REFUSED 0.5% DON'T KNOW 9.7% N=512 NO 26.2% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey 0. 4 In your opinion, what is the most important issue facing Idaho today? 0. 35 0. 3 27% 22% 21% 0. 25 0. 2 0. 15 0. 1 9% 3% 3% 3% 2% 7% 6% 0. 05 0 N=512 Jo bs /W at s/ io n Ec on om y G ro En w th vi ro nm Im en m t ig ra C tio rim n e/ D ru gs H ea Ta lth xe s In su ra D nc on e 't K O no th w er /R ef us ed ag e Ed uc 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Top three “most important” issues facing Idaho – multiple year responses 0. 35 33% 0.3 27% 25% 0. 25 21% 0.2 22% 17% 21% 0. 15 11% 0.1 7% 0. 05 0 Education Jobs/ Wages/ Economy Growth 16th, 2004 17th, 2005 18th, 2006 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey If education is the most important issue, why? Quality of Education 25% NCLB 1% Infrastructure 2% Funding 18% Teacher Salaries 15% N=153 Other 39% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey In general, do you have more trust in federal, state, or local government? Local 43% All Equal 20% Don't Know 4% Refused 5% State 18% Federal 10% Last Year STATE 26.8% LOCAL 42.5% N=512 FEDERAL 11.2% REFUSED 0.4% DON’T KNOW NONE 10.4% ALL EQUAL 7.9% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Which level of government do you think best responds to your needs? Local 44% All Equal 21% Don't Know 3% State 20% N=512 Federal 10% Refused 2% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey From which level of government do you think you get the most from your tax money? Local 30% All Equal 21% Don't Know 9% State 25% Federal 14% Refused 1% ST AT E 33.2% Last Year LOCAL 36.1% FEDERAL 16.3% N=512 REFUSED 1.0% DON’T KNOW 5.4% NONE 5.7% ALL EQUAL 2.3% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Which tax do you think is the least fair? None 20% Federal Income Tax 11% Don't Know 4% State Income Tax 5% State Sales Tax 8% Equally Unfair 18% Social Security Payroll Tax 13% Local Property Tax 21% N=512 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Do you think the amount of local property tax you have to pay is too high, about right, or too low? About Right 52% Too Low 1% Too High 45% N=399 Property Owners Only DK/ Ref 2% Too high 50.4% Last Year About right 44.9% Too low 1.2% Don't Know / Refused 3% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How strongly do you agree that the initiative process is a correct way to make complex policy decisions? Strongly Agree 16% Strongly Disagree 4% Somew hat Disagree 12% Somewhat Agree 37% Neither Agree nor Disagree 25% DK/ Ref 6% N=512 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How should we pay for school maintenance and operations if there is a funding shortfall? Property Tax 13% Federal Funds 12% User Fees 12% DK/Ref 9% Sales Tax 33% N=512 Other 6% Local Option Taxes 6% Incom e Tax All or Lottery 4% Com bination 1% of Above 4% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Services provided by the city and county are keeping up with the growth where I live? DK/ Ref 2% Neither Agree nor Disagree 7% Strongly Disagree 16% Strongly Agree 12% Somewhat Agree 34% N=512 Som ew hat Disagree 29% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey At what level do you support comprehensive planning and zoning to manage growth? Other 1% We Do Not Need Comprehensive Planning 5% Local 48% D o n' t Kno w- N o t Sur e/ R ef used 6% A ll Levels/ C o mb inat io n 6% Regional 16% N=512 Statewide 18% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Who should pay for the infrastructure to support growth? Developers 36% Developers and Incoming Residents 5% Incom ing Residents 15% All Parties Pay Equally 41% Government 1% N=512 D/K 1% Other 1% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How strongly would you support the development of mass transit where you live? Somewhat Support 28% Strongly Support 26% Strongly Do Not Support 6% There is No Need Where I Live 35% N=512 DK 2% Do Not Support Mass 3% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Should Idaho implement statewide vehicle emissions testing? Strongly Disagree 25% Strongly Agree 27% Somewhat Disagree 16% Somewhat Agree 20% N=512 Neither Agree nor Disagree 11% DK/ Refused 1% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How strongly do you agree that additional public funds should be used to help provide health insurance to people who cannot afford it? Somewhat Agree 29% Som ew hat Disagree 15% Strongly Disagree 12% Strongly Agree 33% N=512 DK/ Ref 1% Neither Agree nor Disagree 10% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How strongly do you agree that people who can afford it, should carry health insurance in the same manner as automobile insurance? Strongly Disagree 26% Somewhat Agree 21% Som ew hat Disagree 17% Neither Agree nor Disagree 7% N=512 Strongly Agree 27% DK/ Ref 2% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey What is an acceptable solution to Idaho’s prison overpopulation? Harsher Punishm ents 2% Send Prisoners Out of State 4% Other 5% DK/ Ref 7% Build Drug and Mental Illness Treatment Facilities 42% House Arrest 9% Review and Release 11% Build Another Prison 20% N=512 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How strongly do you agree that the use of the Idaho National Guard outside our region is appropriate? Strongly Agree 27% Somew hat Disagree 17% Somewhat Agree 36% Strongly Disagree 10% Neither Agree nor Disagree 9% N=512 Don't Know / Refused 1% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How strongly do you agree that a stricter immigration policy will negatively affect Idaho’s economy? Strongly Agree 14% Somewhat Disagree 19% Somewhat Agree 25% Strongly Disagree 33% N=512 DK/ Refused 3% Neither Agree nor Disagree 6% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How strongly do you agree that Idaho should adopt an English Only policy for the state? Strongly Agree 56% Somewhat Agree 14% Som ew hat Disagree 10% Strongly Disagree 18% Neither Agree nor Disagree 2% N=512 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Overall, how important are libraries in our state? Very Important 80% Not Im portant at All 2% Not Very Im portant 3% Somewhat Important 15% N=512 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey How familiar are you with the Libraries Linking Idaho (LiLI) databases? Somewhat Familiar 29% Not Very Familiar 28% Very Familiar 6% Don't Know 1% N=512 Not At All Familiar 36% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Should Idaho ban elk farms? Som ew hat Disagree 19% Strongly Disagree 27% Strongly Agree 14% Som ew hat Agree Don't Know / Refused 9% 5% Neither Agree nor Disagree 26% N=512 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Political Party Affiliation Republican 44% Independent 32% Democrat 18% Refused Don't Know 1% 1% Other 4% Republican 42.0% Last Year Independent 35.7% N=512 Democrat 16.7% REFUSED 2.0% DON'T KNOW 0.8% OTHER 2.7% 18th Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey Political Ideology Middle-of-the-Road 30% Somewhat Liberal 11% Very Liberal 4% Somewhat Conservative 37% Very Conservative 16% Don't Know/ Not Sure/ Refused 2% Very conservative Don't Know / 20.7% Refused 1.2% Last Year Somewhat conservative 27.4% N=512 Very liberal 4.4% Somewhat liberal 10.7% Middleof-the-road 35.6%