Barry Zeplowitz & Associates Suite 600 Olympic Towers Buffalo NY 14202 BLAINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JULY 2015 BARRY ZEPLOWITZ & ASSOCIATES

Barry Zeplowitz & AssociatesSuite 600 Olympic Towers

Buffalo NY 14202

BLAINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

JULY 2015

BARRY ZEPLOWITZ & ASSOCIATES

0%20%40%60%80%

8% 10% 12%5% 1%

62%

1%

NONE COUNTY DIRT/GRAVEL ROADS

SNOW PLOWING COUNTY PAVED ROADS

COUNTY BRIDGES ALL OF THE ABOVE

NOT SURE

JUNE 2015

WHAT ACTIVITIES DO YOU MOST ASSOCIATE WITH THE BLAINE COUNTY ROAD AND BRIDGE DEPARTMENT?

BARRY ZEPLOWITZ & ASSOCIATES2

2%14%

37%

47%

VERY AWARE SOMEWHAT AWARENOT AWARE NOT SURE

WHEN DRIVING THROUGH BLAINE COUNTY, ARE YOU AWARE OR UNAWARE OF WHETHER YOU ARE TRAVELING ON A STATE, COUNTY, OR A CITY ROAD.


1%

36%

47%

16%

EXCELL. VERY GOOD GOOD FAIR POOR NOT SURE

WHEN THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT CONDITION OF ROADS AND BRIDGES IN BLAINE COUNTY, WOULD YOU SAY THEY ARE IN:


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60% 52%

23%

10% 14%

1%

DAILY COUPLE A WEEK WEEKLY < WEEKLY NOT SURE

JUNE 2015

HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU SAY YOU USE ONE OF THE 54 BRIDGES LOCATED THROUGHOUT BLAINE COUNTY?


9%

13%

78%

APPROVE DISAPPROVE NOT SURE

DO YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF THE JOB BEING DONE BY THE BLAINE COUNTY ROAD AND BRIDGE DEPARTMENT.


1%6%

93%

YES NO NOT SURE

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT LETTING LOCAL ROADS AND BRIDGES DETERIORATE POSES SAFETY RISKS?


1%5%

94%

YES NO NOT SURE

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT GOOD ROAD MAINTENANCE AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE IS IMPORTANT TO BLAINE COUNTY AND OUR CITIES’ ECONOMIES?


1%8%

90%

AGREE DISAGREE NOT SURE

DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE THAT COUNTY ROADS ARE THE PRIMARY ACCESS TO LOCAL HUNTING, FISHING, HIKING, CAMPING AND BICYCLING RECREATION.


2%

98%

AGREE DISAGREE

DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE THAT MAINTENANCE OF COUNTY ROADS IS IMPORTANT FOR USE BY RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS.


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%47% 47%

6%

SUPPORT OPPOSE NOT SURE

JUNE 2015

CURRENTLY BLAINE COUNTY ROADS & BRIDGES ARE FUNDED THROUGH FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS, MOST NOTABLY FUELS TAXES. DO YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES TO MAKE UP FOR FUNDING SHORTAGES FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE.


5%

38%

57%


STUDIES SHOW THAT EVERY $1 SPENT FOR REPAIRS TODAY AVOIDS $6 TO $14 NEEDED LATER TO FIX THE SAME ROAD AFTER IT HAS DETERIORATED FURTHER. KNOWING THIS, WOULD YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES TODAY FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES IN ORDER TO PREVENT HIGHER COSTS TOMORROW.


7%

40% 53%

YES NO NOT SURE

AN INDEPENDENT TRANSPORTATION STUDY INDICATED THAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, APPROXIMATELY $3M PER YEAR, ABOVE CURRENT SPENDING LEVELS WOULD BE NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS OF BLAINE COUNTY'S ROADS AND BRIDGES. A QUESTION BEING CONSIDERED FOR PUBLIC ELECTION WOULD READ: SHOULD BLAINE COUNTY BE AUTHORIZED TO IMPLEMENT A TWO-YEAR TAX LEVY IN THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $35 PER $100,000


10%

55%

35%

YES NO NOT SURE

BLAINE COUNTY CITIES ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING A SHORTFALL OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDING. THE BALLOT COULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE CITIES. KNOWING THIS WOULD YOU PREFER A LEVY THAT PROVIDES FUNDS FOR BOTH COUNTY AND CITY ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $61 PER $100,000 OF PROPERTY VALUE?


8%

46%

47%


THE PROPOSED TWO YEAR LEVY IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS ONLY ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE FUNDING SHORTFALLS. OTHER NEEDS INCLUDE MAJOR COUNTY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SUCH AS ROAD AND BRIDGE REDESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. WOULD YOU SUPPORT A LEVY THAT INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL $10 PER $100,000 FOR A COUNTY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.


2%

27%

23%

49%

MORE LESS NO DIFFERENCE NOT SURE

WOULD USE OF FUNDS FOR BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE MAKE YOU MORE OR LESS LIKELY TO SUPPORT A PROPERTY TAX LEVY?


9%

35%56%

YES NO NOT SURE

KNOWING THAT THIS TEMPORARY LEVY WOULD BE UTILIZED TO IMPROVE ROAD CONDITIONS IN THE SHORT-TERM, WOULD YOU APPROVE A PERMANENT INCREASE TO VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEES TO MAKE UP THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE SHORTFALL?


1%

29%

9%62%


TWO STATEMENTS FROM SUPPORTERS OF THE PROPOSED $3 MILLION TAX LEVY PROPOSAL WHICH WOULD HELP TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN ROADS AND BRIDGES IN BLAINE COUNTY. PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS INFORMATION WOULD MAKE YOU MORE OR LESS LIKELY TO SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL. THE CONTINUOUS MAINTENANCE OF OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES IS IMPORTANT TO TOURISM IN BLAINE COUNTY.


2%

24%

9%65%


TRANSPORTATION STUDIES INDICATE THAT BETTER ROADS IMPROVE SAFETY, INCREASE FUEL EFFICIENCY AND DECREASE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.


5%

29%

26%

40%


TWO STATEMENTS FROM OPPONENTS OF THIS PROPOSAL TO AUTHORIZE AN ASSESSED VALUATION FOR MAINTENANCE OF ROADS AND BRIDGES IN BLAINE COUNTY. PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS INFORMATION WOULD MAKE YOU MORE OR LESS LIKELY TO SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL. BLAINE COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY OVERTAXED AND THERE ARE HIGHER PRIORITIES FOR OUR LIMITED TAX DOLLARS.


6%

24%

31%

39%


ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE SHOULD ONLY BE FUNDED BY USER-BASED FEES SUCH AS FUELS TAX.


0%10%20%30%40%50%

1%12% 14%

47%

26%

LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE HS GRAD SOME COLLEGE

COLLEGE GRADUATE POST GRAD

JUNE 2015

WHAT IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FORMAL EDUCATION YOU HAVE COMPLETED?


0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%

20%26%

18%

10%

27%

ALWAYS DEMOCRAT MORE DEM THAN REP MORE REP THAN DEMALWAYS REP INDEPEND

JUNE 2015

WHEN YOU VOTE IN LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BLAINE COUNTY, DO YOU:


0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

11% 12%18%

25%

34%

18-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

JUNE 2015

AGE


55%

45%

MALE FEMALE

GENDER


0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%

8%4%

39%35%

13%

BELLEVUE CAREY HAILEY KETCHUM SUN VALLEY

JUNE 2015

GEOGRAPHIC


65%

21%

15%

DEM REP UNAFFIL.

AFFILIATION


71%

29%

YES NO

CELL PHONES


Documents

Barry Zeplowitz & Associates Suite 600 Olympic Towers Buffalo NY 14202 BLAINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JULY 2015 BARRY ZEPLOWITZ & ASSOCIATES