1

Public Opinion and Issues in Anne Arundel County: Neighborhood Leadership Academy Presentation

March 12, 2011

Dan Nataf, PhDDirector, Center for the Study of Local IssuesAnne Arundel Community College101 College ParkwayArnold, MD 21012(410) 777-2733(410) 777-4733 fax ddnataf@aacc.edu

www2.aacc.edu/csli

2

NLA Presentation – March 12, 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

3

NLA Presentation – March 12, 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)

4

LAA Presentation – Feb. 28, 2009

Main Issues for Today

– County - Right/Wrong direction– Most important problems– Economic conditions– Perceptions of the future– Budget choices - tax and spending

preferences– Current state and county issues– Housing– Crime– Immigration

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011

Main Issues for Today (or as far as we get!)

Remarkable stability in right/wrong direction…

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011

County – Right/Wrong Direction

Sp '99

Fa '99

Sp '00

Fa '00

Sp '01

Fa '01

Sp '02

Fa '02

Sp '03

Fa '03

Sp '04

Fa '04

Sp '05

Fa '05

Sp '06

Fa '06

Sp '07

Fa '07

Sp '08

Fa '08

Sp '09

Fa '09

Sp '10

Fa '10

Sp '11

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

5754

5855

62

66

60 61 62

51

58 58

53

5755

51 52 51 5052

47

52 5249 50

23

2725 24 23

15

26

21

25

3431

24

2927 26

2927

33 32 3128 27 28 28 28

20 1917

20

15

19

14

18

1315

12

19 1816

1820 21

16 17 17

25

21 2023 22

RightWrongUnsure

6

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011

County – Most Important ProblemFall

'04

Spri

ng '05

Fall

'05

Spri

ng '06

Fall

'06

Spri

ng '07

Fall

'07

Spri

ng '08

Fall

'08

Spri

ng

'09

Fall

'09

Spri

ng '10

Fall

'10

Sp '11

Mean

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

8 7 7

15

7

12

8

23

38

48

3336 36 36

22.4285714285714

14

18

22

16

21

16 16

12

9

5 5 5

24

11.785714285714311.21428571428578.64285714285714

Economy /Housing Taxes – too high

Growth /development Education /

Traffic congestion /problems Crime / drugs

Economy still top problem, but mostly unchanged since October

2009

Percentage saying “excellent” or “good” economy also stable since March 2009

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011

County – Economic Conditions vs. State and USA

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

4648

44 45

49

2730 31 32

35

5

11 11 11 11

%

Anne Arundel County

Maryland

USA

8

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Economic Concerns: Perceptions of the Local and National Economies 2002-2011

National

County

“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)

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 S '110

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

38

26 2722

34 3431 28

3842

32

27

17

5 510 11 11 13

74 76

56 56

62

74 74 71 7471 71

69

55

49 46 4844 45

49

Gallup - USA

CSLI - AA County

The economy: what applies?

Facing

the

poss

ibili

ty o

f une

mpl

oym

ent

Sign

ifica

nt lo

sses

in y

our s

tock

or r

etire

men

t acc

ount

s

Facing

the

poss

ibili

ty o

f hou

se fo

reclo

sure

or l

oss

Delay

in m

akin

g a

maj

or p

urch

ase

such

as a

hom

e or

car

Health

car

e in

sura

nce

is un

avai

labl

e, to

o ex

pens

ive

or in

adeq

uate

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

116

35

15

71

4

3024

75

6

51

2924

70

8

46

33

19

56

7

47

3221

60

7

4434

20

52

9

47

35

Economic Conditions - % saying 'applies' - specific items

S '08 F '08 S '09 F '09 S '10 F '10 S '11

The economy: what else applies?

Unable

to find afford

able

housing

Wag

es or s

alarie

s are

not risin

g as f

ast as

the c

ost of li

ving

Hard to

afford

the c

ost of tr

ansp

ortation

Hard to

afford

the c

ost of u

tilities

such

as el

ectric

ity or g

as

Taxe

s are

too high in

relati

on to go

vern

ment s

ervice

s pro

vided

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

21

56

40

61

11

59

32

50

58

12

55

21

53

59

13

55

17

42

59

15

56

21

44

63

10

56

24

43

60

14

63

41

46

63

S '08 F '08 S '09 F '09 S '10 F '10 S '11

11

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Economic Concerns by Various Demographic Factors

Wag

es o

r sal

arie

s vs.

infla

tion

Unem

ploy

men

t

Sign

ifica

nt lo

sses

in a

ccou

nts

House

loss

No aff

orda

ble

hous

ing

Cost o

f tra

nspo

rtatio

n

Cost o

f util

ities

…

Delay

in m

akin

g a

maj

or p

urch

ase

Health

car

e in

sura

nce

is un

avai

labl

e…

Taxe

s are

too

high

rela

tive…

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

BlackWhiteMenWomenUnder $75Over $75

Income differences influence wages, unemployment, housing, affording utilities, health care and taxes

When will the economy improve?

Economic Condition This year

Next year

Future year

Median year

N.A.

A stabilization of housing values 8 35 51 2012 7A return to steady growth of the economy 5 32 59 2012 5A major reduction in the unemployment rate

4 31 61 2012 4

A return to a better balance between revenues and expenditures for state and local government budgets

3 16 68 2014 13

A return to a better balance between revenues and expenditures for the federal government’s budget

3 10 73 2015 14

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Economic Concerns: When will the economy improve? (Fall 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

Total 100 100 100

13

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Funding Government – cut programs or cut spending?

(Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2009)

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 27%Raising taxes 8%Some of both 55%

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

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)

15

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Budget Measures: Taxes, Cuts, Spending

Issue Support Oppose Unsure

Imposing an additional fine of up to $1500 on drivers caught drunk driving 86 13 1

Permitting the use of off-shore wind power near Ocean City 80 10 10

Increasing the alcohol tax 68 29 3Permitting the purchase of marijuana for medical purposes 65 29 7Taking away drivers’ licenses from those who refuse to pay taxes 64 32 3

Increasing the use of cameras to ticket those running red lights 59 41 4

Making same sex marriages legal in Maryland 47 46 7Making preparations to implement President Obama’s health care reform law 43 50 8

Limiting the use of binding arbitration when the county negotiates with public safety unions 35 42 23

Allowing the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition for college 33 63 4

Increasing university tuition to maintain the quality of higher education 32 66 2

Reducing the pension and retiree health benefits of state workers 28 65 7

Promising state workers no furlough days, and providing them with a $750 bonus 25 59 16

Increasing the county income tax to the maximum allowed by law to avoid cuts in essential services 25 68 7

Increasing the gasoline tax to bolster the transportation trust fund 17 80 3

16

  Better About the

same

Worse Unsure(vol.)/NA

Economic conditions 47 20 26 8

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

Local taxes 8 21 66 5

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)

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Future: Better, Same or Worse?

17

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011

Housing - What is “Affordable Housing?” (asked Fall 2002)

Attribute cited %

Purchase priceMedian: $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%

Is the lack of affordable housing in Anne Arundel County a problem?

Yes 54% No 34% Don’t know 12%

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Crime: Safety and Security in County and Neighborhood

(1997-2008)

18

19 18

3022

2924

5563

7771 69

65

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1997 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011

% S

ayin

g "

Ver

y S

afe"

County

Neighborhood

Differential

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Crime: Been a Victim of Crime over Last Year? (1997-

2008)

19

1412

912 11 10

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1997 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011

% Saying "Yes"

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Crime: “Been a Victim of Crime over Last Year” (2008) by Age

20

Overall 18-29 30-44 45-60 60+0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

11

6

1516

4

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Crime: Improve Safety (2008)

21

One Thing to Most Improve Safety

22

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011

Immigration Questions – Various (Spring 2008)

23

Do you think that you personally have benefited from the services of illegal immigrants for example in landscaping, construction, restaurants or janitorial services?

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Personally Benefitting from Illegal Immigrants(Spring 2008)

24

They strengthen our country because of their hard work

and talents

They are a burden on our country because they take our jobs, housing and health care.

No answer0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

8076

16

8

22

68

9

Legal Illegal

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Legal and Illegal Immigrants (Spring 2008)

25

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Stances on Immigration Issues by Political Party (Spring 2008)

26

Support

Oppose Unsure Noanswe

r

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

NLA Presentation – March 12, 2011 Immigration Enforcement vs. Other Issues (Spring 2008)