THE WISCONSIN SURVEY
Fall 2007
State Issues
Survey Information:
Random Selection, Telephone Survey
Number of Adult Wisconsin Resident Respondents: 401
Interview Period: October 30th – November 8th, 2007
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.
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
|
Most Important Problem Facing the State – Response Detail
Budget and Taxes (35%)
High taxes comprised 28% of all responses to this question overall and 80% of all responses within this category. Almost all mentioned generally that taxes were too high, a few mentioned property taxes specifically, others said that it was the tax structure that was the problem, and a couple mentioned that it makes the state inhospitable for businesses and retirees.
In terms of the budget, mentions were evenly spread though a general issue that the budget was the biggest problem (as distinguished from the budget negotiations – see the government ethics and politics section below), while others mentioned that we were spending the budget on the wrong things, that spending was generally too high, or that the budget cuts were causing underfunding.
Government Ethics & Politics (11%)
Over half the comments in this category were that Governor Doyle is the biggest problem facing the state. These comments comprised 6% of all comments across categories.
Second most often cited (25% of those comments within government ethics & politics category), was the lack of unity, the need to work together and that there is too much politics.
A few mentioned the budget negotiation process. Others were:
- Too much government
- Need for better representation
- The Republican Assembly
- Too much Bureaucracy
Economy & Jobs ( 9%)
The most often cited was unemployment/lack of jobs (29% of responses pertaining to economy and jobs), followed by general comments that the economy is the biggest problem facing the state and that industries are leaving the state (and the state government is not helping to stop this).
Others mentioned the need to attract more jobs to the state, lack of good paying jobs, inflation/cost of living, and the loss of the family farm.
Health Care (9%)
The majority mentioned a general comment that health care was the biggest problem facing the state. The second most often cited was the lack of affordable care, followed by needing coverage for the poor. Other comments included health care for seniors, insurance coverage (and lack thereof) and the lack of quality care.
Education (8%)
Most of those who said education is the biggest problem facing the state said that it was a lack of funding that was the problem.
Other comments made were:
- cost of education is too high
- overcrowding
- not enough for special needs children
- teacher pay
- funding formula outdated
- dropout rate
- teacher pay
- the Teachers’ Union
- No Child Left Behind/testing
Gas Prices (5%)
Nearly all mentioned gas prices generally, but two mentioned the need for alternatives and one said the gas tax is too high.
Crime & Drugs (3%)
Most mentioned crime generally, a few mentioned violence, one mentioned drugs, and one mentioned that there are too many prisoners.
Environment (2%)
Comments were spread fairly evenly between general comments about pollution and the environment and:
- decreasing natural resources
- that we should not sell water from the Great Lakes to other states
- coal energy
- nuclear energy
Welfare (2%)
- Three mentioned affordable housing (the lack of) as the most important problem
- Two mentioned the welfare system
- And one mentioned homelessness
Immigration (2%)
Reponses in this category were spread between several issues. Some felt immigration itself was an issue, while others specified illegal immigration as being the problem. Yet others discussed their fear that jobs are being taken away.
DNR & Hunting (1%)
- Two said that the DNR is out of control
- One mentioned hunting rights
- One mentioned the Hmong and hunting
Other (4%)
- Iraq
- Abortion
- Smoking Ban
- Overconsumption
- Lack of gay rights
- Moral issues
- Lack of mandatory auto insurance
- Infrastructure development
- Obesity rates
- Our children
- Racism
Don’t Know (2%)
None (1%)
Too Many (<1%)
Refused (4%)
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?
|
Spring ‘03
|
Fall ‘03
|
Spring ‘05
|
Fall '05
|
Sp '06
|
Sp '07
|
Fall '07
|
Very Satisfied
|
15%
|
12%
|
10%
|
10%
|
6%
|
9%
|
10%
|
Somewhat Satisfied
|
53%
|
53%
|
52%
|
54%
|
51%
|
51%
|
44%
|
Somewhat Dissatisfied
|
15%
|
19%
|
24%
|
20%
|
23%
|
19%
|
21%
|
Very Dissatisfied
|
9%
|
14%
|
10%
|
13%
|
15%
|
17%
|
23%
|
Not Sure
|
9%
|
3%
|
4%
|
3%
|
5%
|
3%
|
2%
|
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?
|
Spring ‘03
|
Fall ‘03
|
Spring '06
|
Spring '07
|
Fall '07
|
Very Satisfied
|
6%
|
3%
|
2%
|
3%
|
4%
|
Somewhat Satisfied
|
43%
|
50%
|
48%
|
54%
|
37%
|
Somewhat Dissatisfied
|
25%
|
29%
|
30%
|
23%
|
32%
|
Very Dissatisfied
|
13%
|
11%
|
13%
|
9%
|
18%
|
Not Sure
|
12%
|
7%
|
5%
|
12%
|
8%
|
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...................................................... 44%
Worse off than now..................................................... 28%
Same (volunteered)...................................................... 21%
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%
|
Median
|
54%
|
21%
|
21%
|
