1

Public ne Arundel County:

Greater Severna Park Council – Presentation of CSLI Survey Findings for Spring 2009

April 14, 2009

Dan Nataf, PhDDirector, Center for the Study of Local IssuesAnne Arundel Community College101 College Parkway, Careers 132Arnold, MD 21012(410) 777-2733 ddnataf@aacc.edu

www2.aacc.edu/csli

2

GSPC Presentation – April 14, 2009The Center for the Study of Local Issues: Overview

• CSLI – Part of Sarbanes Center for Public and Community Service

• 1978-79 – 30th Anniversary • Mission: Provide students

opportunities for engaged learning, community outreach

• Main activity: Public interest and client surveys/research

3

GSPC Presentation – April 14, 2009 The Center for the Study of Local Issues: Overview

Semi-annual Surveys: Conducted each March and October – latest was March 9-12; students used as interviewers Universe: Respondents randomly chosen from universe of listed telephone numbers within Anne Arundel County combined with randomly generated numbers

• Typical sample size: 400-900 respondents; • Spring sample: 625 • Margin of error: 4%

• Topics: Each survey includes demographic and attitude/behavior questions, including such themes as:– Economic conditions Gender– Growth/Development Party– Transportation Income– Economic conditions Education– Education Religion– Tax/spending preferences Race– Policy preferences

Employment• Visit CSLI’s web site for previous surveys

(www2.aacc.edu/csli)

4

GSPC Presentation – April 14, 2009 Main Issues for Today

– County – Right/wrong direction– Most important problem– Economic conditions– Local issues – Development, slots,

spending priorities for local government

– State issues – Death penalty, text messaging

– National politics

AA County: Right/Wrong Direction

Sp

99

Fa 9

9

Sp

00

Fa 0

0

Sp

01

Fa 0

1

Sp

02

Fa 0

2

Sp

03

Fa 0

3

Sp

04

Fa '0

4

Sp

'05

Fa '0

5

Sp

'06

Fa '0

6

Sp

'07

Fa '0

7

Sp

'08

Fa '0

8

Sp

'09

05

10152025303540455055606570

5754

5855

6266

60 61 62

51

58 5853

57 5551 52 51 50 52

47

2327 25 24 23

15

2621

25

3431

2429 27 26

29 2733 32 3128

20 19 1720

1519

1418

13 15

12

19 18 16 18 20 2116 17 17

25

Right

Wrong

Unsure

Findings – Most Important Problem

F '03 S '04 F '04 S '05 F '05 S '06 F '06 S '07 F '07 S '08 F '08 S '09 Mean0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

15

8

14

18

22

16

21

16 16

12

9

5

14.3333333333333

17

22

12

16

12 13

16

12 12 1210

8

13.5

8

12

8 7 7

15

7

12

8

23

38

48

16.083333333333314 13

10

13

10 10 9

1517 16

1210

12.416666666666711 10

17

9

14

9

12 11 12

7 64

10.1666666666667

5 46 5 6

11 119 10

64

6 6.916666666666677

4 5 5 6 64

6 6 64 3

5.16666666666667

Growth/development EducationEconomy Taxes – too high Traffic congestion/prob-lems Crime Environment

Spring 2009

Fall 2008

Spring 2008

Economy

GrowthEducation

The economy…rate economic conditions

Perceptions of County, State and National Economies

The economy…compare AAC/USA

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 S '090

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

38

26 2722

34 3431 28

3842

3227

17

5 5

74 76

56 5662

74 74 71 74 71 7169

5549 46

Anne Arundel County/CSLI Polling

U.S.A/Gallup Polling

The economy…does this apply?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80 75

5955 53 51

2924 21

126

71

58 59

50

30

15

32

114

47

5661

35

11

40

21

6

Spring '09Fall '08 Spring 2008

Confidence in federal govt.

Very confident Somewhat confident Not very confident0

10

20

30

40

50

60

12

4046

5

40

53

Confidence in Federal Govt, Overall 2009/2008

Spring 2009 Fall 2008

Confidence in federal govt.

2009 2008 2009 2008 2009 20080

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80 76

3629

58

47

30

Very or somewhat confident in federal govt. by party, 2009/2008

Democrats Republicans Unaffiliated

County Issues: Turbines, Sprinklers, Furloughs, Fee

010203040506070 65

47 43 39

22

45 4456

12 7 10 4

SupportOpposeUnsure

County Issues – General Development PlanThe county is currently revising its General Development Plan, which provides guidance for future growth in the county. Do you agree or disagree with the following?

010203040506070 66

30 3024

6247

9 720

Agree Disagree Unsure

County Budget: Increase, Reduce or Keep County Spending Unchanged

Service Increase Reduce Keep same

Increase-Reduce

Don’t know

Public Schools 58 6 35 +52 2Police 53 5 41 +47 1Fire 46 2 50 +44 2The community college 41 6 49 +35 4Seniors’ services 39 7 52 +32 3Roads 39 10 51 +29 1Social Services 35 16 45 +19 4Health Department 34 13 46 +21 6Environmental Oversight

31 18 47 +13 4

Libraries 26 8 64 +18 2Parks and Recreation 22 17 59 +5 3Planning and Zoning 13 29 49 -16 9

County Budget: Increase, Reduce or Keep County Spending Unchanged - % Saying Increase

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

5853

4641 39 39

3135 34

2621

13

36.3333333333333

71

60

53

46 44 4339

34 32

26 26

13

40.5833333333333

72

52

36

28 29

41

2832 31

28

15

35.6363636363636

S '09S '04S '97

County Budget: Increase, Reduce or Keep County Spending Unchanged - % Saying Increase

County (and State) Budget: Cut services or raise taxes?

Cut Pro

grams

Raise t

axes

Some o

ther a

pproa

ch or

“both”

(volu

nteere

d)

Don't k

now

010203040506070 61

17 148

60

18 148

County State

Slots: – Location preference - Mall vs. Track

I agree

with a d

ecisio

n to p

lace s

lots a

t Arun

del M

ills

I wish

that

such a

facili

ty wou

ld have

been

place

d at L

aurel

Race Tr

ack

I am ag

ainst s

lots a

t eith

er fac

ility

Someth

ing el

se (ty

picall

y plac

e slot

s at b

oth or

eithe

r facili

ty)

No answ

er05

101520253035404550

16

44

30

74

Arundel Mills

Laurel Race Track

Against Slots

Other No Answer

State Issues: Alcohol Tax, Texting, Death Penalty

020406080

54

83

363915

54

State Issues 2009

Support Oppose

State Issues: By Age

18-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-65 66+0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

3530 32 33

4441

5349

60

50

6257

64

8184

8187 88

Death PenaltyAlcohol TaxText Messaging

National Issues: Presidential job approval

3934 35

28 24

53

37 33 32 3025

61

010203040506070

Fall '06 Spring'07

Fall '07 Spring'08

Fall '08 Spring'09

CSLI Gallup

Bush

Obama

Presidential Job Approval by Party

Sprin

g 09

Fall

08

Sprin

g 08

Fall

07

Sprin

g 09

Fall

08

Sprin

g 08

Fall

07

Sprin

g 09

Fall

08

Sprin

g 08

Fall

07

Sprin

g 09

Fall

08

Sprin

g 08

Fall

07

Overall Democrats Republicans Unaffiliated

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

53

2428

35

79

69

18

25

43

57 5653

2419

2631

69

6257

11

88 87

79

55

48

3135

31

73 74

62

16

8 10 9 116 5 4

20

9 11 9

16

37

12

ApproveDisapproveNo opinion

Democrats Republicans UnaffiliatedOverall

Obama

Obama

ObamaObama

Bush

Bush

BushBush

Bipartisanship: Who is trying, worthy goal?

0

20

40

60

80

100

5728

20 21

3563 69 70

7 8 10 8

Obama trying

Republicans tryingWill overcomepartisan divisions

Parties should cooperate

Parties should offerclear and opposing pointsof view

Obama not trying Republicans not tryingWill not overcomepartisan divisions

Unsure Unsure Unsure