April State Issues 2008

THE WISCONSIN SURVEY

Spring 2008

State Issues

Survey Information:

Random Selection, Telephone Survey

Number of Adult Wisconsin Resident Respondents: 400

Interview Period: March 25 – April 5, 2008

Margin of Error: +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level.

Contact:

Wendy Scattergood

Assistant Professor of Political Science, St. Norbert College Survey Center

DePere, WI 54115

(920) 403-3491

wendy.scattergood@snc.edu

· NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.

Governor’s Approval Ratings

How satisfied are you with the way Governor Doyle is doing his job overall. Would you say you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Very Satisfied 14%

Somewhat Satisfied................................................... 45%

Somewhat Dissatisfied............................................... 21%

Very Dissatisfied........................................................ 16%

Not Sure ........................................................... 5%

Refused ........................................................... 0%

Governor Doyle Approval Ratings

	Spring ‘03	Fall ‘03	Spring ‘05	Fall '05	Sp '06	Sp '07	Fall '07	Sp '08
Very Satisfied	15%	12%	10%	10%	6%	9%	10%	14%
Somewhat Satisfied	53%	53%	52%	54%	51%	51%	44%	45%
Somewhat Dissatisfied	15%	19%	24%	20%	23%	19%	21%	21%
Very Dissatisfied	9%	14%	10%	13%	15%	17%	23%	16%
Not Sure	9%	3%	4%	3%	5%	3%	2%	5%

State Legislature Approval Ratings

How about the way the state legislature is doing its job. Would you say you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Very Satisfied.............................................................. 3%

Somewhat Satisfied..................................................... 42%

Somewhat Dissatisfied................................................. 30%

Very Dissatisfied.......................................................... 15%

Not Sure..................................................................... 10%

Refused....................................................................... 0%

State Legislature Approval Ratings

	Spring ‘03	Fall ‘03	Spring '06	Spring '07	Fall '07	Spring '08
Very Satisfied	6%	3%	2%	3%	4%	3%
Somewhat Satisfied	43%	50%	48%	54%	37%	42%
Somewhat Dissatisfied	25%	29%	30%	23%	32%	30%
Very Dissatisfied	13%	11%	13%	9%	18%	15%
Not Sure	12%	7%	5%	12%	8%	10%

Personal Finance

Do you expect that at this time NEXT year you will be financially better off than now, or worse off than now?

Better off than now...................................................... 47%

Worse off than now..................................................... 30%

Same (volunteered)...................................................... 17%

Not Sure..................................................................... 6%

Refused / NA.............................................................. <1%

	Better	Same	Worse
Fall '94	50%	31%	15%
Fall '95	46%	21%	26%
Fall '96	56%	19%	15%
Fall '97	54%	25%	14%
Fall '98	56%	21%	17%
Fall '99	63%	15%	20%
Fall '00	64%	20%	9%
Sp '02	54%	22%	15%
Fall '02	56%	13%	22%
Sp '03	53%	17%	26%
Fall '03	57%	14%	22%
Sp '04	57%	19%	16%
Sp '05	42%	25%	29%
Fall '05	40%	18%	38%
Sp '06	45%	24%	25%
Fall '06	56%	25%	16%
Sp '07	44%	27%	25%
Fall '07	44%	21%	28%
Sp '08	47%	17%	30%
Median	54%	21%	22%

Best Thing About Wisconsin

What do you think is the best thing about Wisconsin? (open-ended)

1. Environment ........................................................... (52%)

2. The People ........................................................... (18%)

3. Communities ................................................... (9%)

4. Government/Politics/Media ................................................... (8%)

5. Values ........................................................... (3%)

6. Overall Lifestyle/Quality of Life........................................................ (3%)

7. Economy/Jobs/Cost of Living........................................................... (1%)

Environment

- Weather – 4 seasons (19% of overall responses)

- Beautiful Scenic (10%)

- Nature (6%)

- Water/Lakes (5%)

- Clean Environment (1%)

- Variety of Outdoor Activities (5%)

- The North (2%)

- Parks (2%)

- Wide-open spaces (1%)

- Other (1%)

The People

- Are friendly/nice/down-to-earth (12%)

- Family is here (5%)

- Diversity of people (1%)

Communities & Culture

- Rural areas/life (2%)

- Safe (2%)

- Lots to do (1.5%)

- Small Communities (1%)

- Packers (1%)

- Brats, Cheese, Beer (1%)

- Other (1%)

Government/Politics/Media

- Education (4%)

- Government Services (<1%)

- Health care (<1%)

- Roads (<1%)

- The Governor (<1%)

- Good quality of government (<1%)

- Grassroots politics (<1%)

- Progressive Tradition (<1%)

- Retirement packages for teachers(<1%)

- Lack of death penalty (<1%)

- Affordable taxes (<1%)

- Access to info like public tv and radio (<1%)

Values

- Midwest Values (1%)

- Blue Collar Values (<1%)

- Family Oriented (2%)

Other

Just like it (<1%)

Convenient to Chicago (<1%)

Not Sure (3%)

Too Many (<1%)

None (2%)

Refused (1%)

Biggest Problem Facing Wisconsin

What is the most important problem facing the State of Wisconsin today? (Open-ended)

	*Taxes & Budget*	*Education*	*Economy & Jobs*	*Health Care*	*Environment*	*Welfare Issues*	Crime/ Drugs	Gas Prices	*Gov't* *Ethics*
*Fall '94*	*21%*	-	7	3	1	21	27	NA	NA
*Fall '95*	*21%*	5	5	5	2	14	15	NA	NA
*Fall '96*	*14%*	7	11	2	1	15	16	NA	NA
*Fall '97*	*18%*	12	5	2	5	10	15	NA	NA
*Fall '98*	*30%*	11	5	2	2	6	7	NA	NA
*Fall '99*	*29%*	20	6	4	3	5	9	NA	NA
*Fall '00*	*26%*	13	13	8	7	5	4	NA	NA
*Sp '02*	*51%*	14	7	1	2	3	1	0	5
*Fall '02*	*49%*	11	13	4	<1	<1	3	0	8
*Sp '03*	*54%*	10	20	4	<1	1	1	<1	2
*Sp '04*	*30%*	9	32	4	1	1	3	<1	4
*Sp '05*	*40%*	15	15	8	3	<1	4	3	2
*Fall '05*	29%	9	14	6	3	1	5	6	6
*Sp '06*	*26%*	12	15	10	2	2	0	7	7
*Sp '07*	22%	12	14	14	1	3	5	3	6
*Fall '07*	35%	8	9	9	2	1	3	5	11
*Sp '08*	33%	7%	21%	7%	2%	3%	6%	6%	6%

1. Taxes 28%

2. Economy & Jobs 21%

3. Health Care 6.5%

3. Education 6.5%

5. Government Ethics 6%

5. Crime & Drugs 6%

7. Gas & Energy 5.5%

8. Budget 5%

9. Social Programs 2.5%

10. Environment 1.5%

Urban Sprawl 1%

Roads 1%

Morality Issues 1%

Racism and Segregation 1%

Money Problems 1%

Other (less than 1% of total responses each)

o Illegal Immigration

o Need the smoking ban

o Bring WI National Guard home from Iraq

o We are in a war-machine economy

o Childhood obesity

o Fear

o Kids that don’t work

o Lack of salt this year

o Winter

Don’t Know 3%

None <1%

Too Many <1%

Refused 1%

Taxes

Most responses in this category were that they were in general too high and that we have too many. Several mentioned property taxes in particular and a couple said that taxes were driving businesses and jobs out of the state.

Economy & Jobs

About half the responses in this category were either economic conditions in general or jobs/unemployment as being the biggest problem. There were several that mentioned cost of living/prices – this was an increase from what we have previously seen. Others mentioned (a few responses each):

- Brain drain

- Too much debt

- Lack of economic development

- Stability

- Businesses and jobs leaving the state

- Farming is getting tougher, loss of dairy farms

- Lack of high-paying jobs

- Lack of industrial jobs

Health Care

About half the responses just said “health care” while others mentioned that costs were too high, that insurance costs were too high, or lack of coverage.

Education

About half mentioned that it is underfunded. Something that came up this year was several people mentioning low graduation rates.

Government Ethics

Just under half the responses in this category were that Governor Doyle is the biggest problem facing the state, followed by the legislature, liberals, and in general, how the state is being run. Two people mentioned the legal system and how judges are selected as being the biggest problem.

Crime & Drugs

The most frequent mention was crime generally, followed by several mentions of teenagers getting into trouble. Other mentions were gangs, drug abuse, violence, and law enforcement as the problem.

Gas & Energy

Most people said that gas prices were too high, but also included in this category were a few mentions of needing more efficient energy, worry about dwindling supply, or a general sense of energy crisis.

Budget

Responses in this category were mixed between general mentions of the budget as the biggest problem, and specifying that it is the budget shortfall/the deficit, too much spending, and the need to reprioritize spending.

Social Programs

Most responses in this category were that welfare and the people on it are the biggest problem facing the state. There were a couple of mentions of poverty and the need for more social programs/spending on social programs.

Environment

All responses but one (which said wolves were the biggest problem facing the state) mentioned water pollution. This is a change from previous years where most just mention pollution or need for a clean environment more generally. A few specifically mentioned the fish viruses and the dredging projects underway.