December 31, 2007 Wisconsin Speaks 2007: A Survey of Public Opinion Printable Version with Formatted Charts IntroductionWe have been conducting public opinion surveys of Wisconsin residents since 1987. This survey was conducted on December 2 and December 3, 2007. There has already been a release of some of the major issues covered in this survey. What makes this particular study so unusual is that for the fourth time we are publishing the unfiltered opinions of Wisconsin residents. Most surveys will ask people about issues. Few, if any, polls besides the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute’s will actually ask the classic survey question on an open-end basis to have respondents describe the most important issue facing Wisconsin. This type of question is asked at the beginning of a poll and is totally unfiltered by any other information. It gives a much more accurate picture of the views and feelings of the respondents. The usual poll will have several potential issues that are filtered and force people to make a choice: open-ended survey questions do not. The reason this technique has been dropped by almost all polls in Wisconsin and across the country is that it is very expensive to administer. We are presenting the results from 600 Wisconsin residents. Clearly, there is enormous concern in this state with health care, illegal immigration, taxes, and jobs. This data originates from approximately 93% of our survey respondents who identified state problems. The results are their verbatim reply to the question: “In your opinion, what is the single most important problem facing Wisconsin that the government should be doing something about?” We have not included the answers of respondents who offered no opinion or could not make a choice—45 responses. The rest of the opinions are presented in the following pages. It paints a very interesting picture of the real problems Wisconsinites see in their state and believe their state government should deal with over the next several years. We have arranged the results by political party. Respondents could identify themselves as Democrats, Republicans, Independents or some other party. Some respondents did not share their party affiliation. It is obvious from reading the replies that Wisconsin citizens see the same problems in their state regardless of their party affiliation. The Methodology for the StudyThe data in this report are based on a randomly selected sample of 600 Wisconsin residents who are 18 years of age and older. The sample was drawn from a list of telephone numbers generated by a computer. This method includes both unlisted numbers and new listings in proportion to their representation in the population. This process, and the sampling itself, is controlled by a Computer Aided Sampling (CAS) system, which monitors the entire process to insure that callbacks are made at appropriate times and that numbers are sampled correctly. A survey of 600 randomly selected residents has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent for percentages based on the entire sample. For an underlying percentage of 50%, for example, this means that repeated samples would produce results between 46% and 54%, 95 times out of 100. The margin of error for sub-samples, such as women, blacks, or young people, will be significantly greater. Diversified ResearchDr. Michael LaVelle, President of Diversified Research, a nationally known survey research company, supervised the project. Dr. LaVelle has a Ph.D. and has taught statistics and social research methods at the university level. He has been President of Diversified Research since 1982 and has over 30 years’ experience in survey research. Reading the resultsThe sex of the respondent is given. The areas of the state are as follows: Southeast - Southeastern Wisconsin, Grn Bay Area - the Green Bay area, Mil Sub - Milwaukee Suburbs, Waukesha - Waukesha County, Madison - Madison, La Crosse - La Crosse/Eau Claire area, City/Milwauk - the City of Milwaukee, Rest/State - the rest of the state. In your opinion, what is the single most important problem facing Wisconsin that the government should be doing something about?Independents—221 ResponsesSex Area Of State Single Most Important Problem Facing WisconsinM Grn Bay Area Making sure the current health care system doesn't change F Rest/State Taxes M
Rest/State Taxes F Grn Bay Area Gas prices F Southeast Economic - job situation F Southeast Health care F City/Milwauk Health care M Rest/State Getting rid of gasoline taxes M Grn Bay Area Health insurance F Madison Education M Madison Schools need a lot of help M La Crosse Education M Rest/State Health care M Madison Taxes F Grn Bay Area Social Security M Grn Bay Area Education funding M Rest/State Our governor M Madison The corrupting government using of the money F City/Milwauk Crime M La Crosse Health care F City/Milwauk High rate of unemployment F Mil Sub Creating jobs F Rest/State Taxes F Southeast Taxes M Grn Bay Area Senior citizen’s benefits F Rest/State Truth in government F Waukesha Foreclosures on homes M Waukesha Immigration M Southeast Health care M Mil Sub High taxes F Madison Taxes are too high and campaign finance reform M Rest/State Quit raising gas prices M Southeast Lowering taxes overall F Rest/State Taxes F City/Milwauk Our schools F City/Milwauk High property taxes M La Crosse Gas prices M Mil Sub Immoral act of gay rights F Rest/State Stopping abortion, getting high taxes, a lot of retired people could get more help M Southeast Health care F Madison Government should pass civil union law F Rest/State The war in Iraq M Southeast The increase in taxes M Madison Jobs F Rest/State Lower the taxes F City/Milwauk Health care` F Grn Bay Area Fixing welfare M Southeast Educate students in nursing (nursing shortage) M Southeast Crime M Grn Bay Area I would say having the DNR secretary position not being a gubernatorial appointment. M Southeast Taxes M Rest/State Lower income taxes M Rest/State Paying your teachers more money F La Crosse Property taxes too high F Grn Bay Area Health care M City/Milwauk Property taxes M City/Milwauk Taxes F Southeast A better economy M Grn Bay Area Lowering taxes M Grn Bay Area High taxes M Rest/State Corruption - too much inefficiency and corruption in government F Mil Sub That's a tough one - educational needs and cost F Grn Bay Area Health care should be affordable M Mil Sub Budget deficit F Grn Bay Area Cost of living F Grn Bay Area The war in Iraq F Waukesha Taxes - they are way too high M Southeast I am not sure the government should be doing about
anything
- too much government in this state F City/Milwauk Health care M Rest/State The economy F Mil Sub Gas prices M Mil Sub Lack of jobs F Madison Abortion rights - we should be protecting women's rights (pro-choice) M Grn Bay Area Health care M Mil Sub High taxes F City/Milwauk Affording health care M
Waukesha Our governor - not happy with him M Grn Bay Area Taxes - too many, too much F Madison Taxes F Grn Bay Area Health care F Rest/State Lower the taxes on cigarettes, property F Madison Health insurance M Southeast Economy F Grn Bay Area Improving the health care system F City/Milwauk Education F Southeast No jobs M Southeast Preserve Wisconsin traditions M Southeast Having all illegal immigrants and others getting health benefits F Mil Sub Health care F Southeast Taxes F Rest/State Fuel prices M Madison Government is corrupt M Grn Bay Area Stabilizing taxes for elderly, especially when a home is reassessed after a sale M Grn Bay Area Health care M Madison Jobs M Grn Bay Area Taxes increases - housing and all the fees - they campaign on not raising taxes - then they hike all the fees and taxes anyway M Madison High tax rates M Mil Sub High taxes - property taxes F City/Milwauk Getting health care F Southeast Education F Mil Sub Tax issue M Southeast Taxes F Southeast Taxes F Mil Sub Health care F La Crosse Health insurance M Rest/State The Federal Reserve is a private central banks and the government in 1913 passed the right to create the money out of thin air. Ron Paul is the only good candidate running for president F Rest/State Health care and education F Waukesha Taxes are out of control M Mil Sub The oil prices F Southeast Health care M Rest/State Crime and drugs M Rest/State Cost of gas F Rest/State Health care F City/Milwauk Keeping property taxes low M Southeast Need more jobs F Rest/State Maybe our gas prices right now F Rest/State Abortion M Rest/State High taxes F Rest/State Economy M Mil Sub Property taxes F Southeast Health care M Grn Bay Area High taxes M Madison Fuel costs F Southeast All taxes are too high F La Crosse Taxes M Madison High taxes M Grn Bay Area Dishonest, inefficient government M Southeast Taxes are too high M Southeast Taxes going up M Grn Bay Area Lack of jobs F Waukesha High taxes F Grn Bay Area Health care M City/Milwauk Everything is good M Waukesha Lower the taxes M Rest/State Get rid of the Mexicans F Grn Bay Area Health insurance F Rest/State Health insurance M Grn Bay Area Health care M Southeast Price of gasoline M Grn Bay Area Taxes - health care - all taxes including education M Mil Sub Taxes too high F City/Milwauk Taxes M Waukesha Lower taxes F Madison Health care M Mil Sub High taxes M City/Milwauk Taxes F Rest/State Teach the children to care about others F City/Milwauk Education M Rest/State Taxes M City/Milwauk High taxes F Grn Bay Area Health care F City/Milwauk Too much unemployment F Rest/State Speaking the English language M Grn Bay Area We need leaders, not politicians F Mil Sub Lower taxes M City/Milwauk Taxes M City/Milwauk Taxes M Rest/State Health care M Rest/State Gas price F Southeast Medical coverage, I would say F Grn Bay Area Affordable health insurance, a little reforming of the welfare system M Grn Bay Area Their inability of spending M Rest/State School funding - it’s a problem - getting it more fair M Grn Bay Area Family justice bill F Madison Protecting a woman's right to choice F City/Milwauk Health care F Southeast Unemployment F City/Milwauk Education M Mil Sub Illegal immigrants M Madison Health care F Mil Sub Drunk drivers F City/Milwauk I can't keep up with property taxes M Mil Sub Energy F Mil Sub Health insurance F Southeast Health care F Grn Bay Area Illegal immigration - seal the border. F Rest/State Too many poor and homeless people F City/Milwauk Property taxes M Grn Bay Area Property taxes go up no matter who you put in office M La Crosse Health care M City/Milwauk Education F Rest/State Taxes M Southeast Provide jobs F Waukesha I think our universal health care F Rest/State Gas price M Rest/State The economy M Madison Our schools F City/Milwauk The road- very bumpy all over the state M Southeast Gas situation F Mil Sub Health care M Rest/State Taxes M City/Milwauk High taxes F Waukesha Foreclosures M La Crosse Getting health care coverage F Southeast Unemployment M Grn Bay Area Lowering taxes - particularly property taxes M Rest/State Taxes F Rest/State Lower the taxes F Grn Bay Area Health care F Grn Bay Area Retention of manufacturing F Rest/State Health insurance M Grn Bay Area State too controlled court issues M Mil Sub Taxes too high M Mil Sub Taxes are too high, especially property taxes M Madison Taxes M Madison Getting rid of Doyle M Southeast Taxes F Rest/State Taxes too high F Rest/State Control the spending M La Crosse Health care coverage F Madison Health F Grn Bay Area Health care M Mil Sub Taxes F Southeast Medicare M Waukesha Healthcare M Madison Lower taxes - Better budgeting M Grn Bay Area Infrastructure F La Crosse Prescription drugs and medication F Madison Pollution F Mil Sub The politicians are not representing the public M Mil Sub Inflation Democrats—161
Responses M Rest/State Price of gas M Southeast Health care F Southeast Taxes M Waukesha I would say taxes, especially for seniors F Southeast Health care and prescription drugs M Rest/State Property tax is way too high F City/Milwauk Health care F La Crosse Health care F Grn Bay Area Taxes F Rest/State The control of water in the Great Lakes M Southeast Health care M Southeast War - very happy with Wisconsin F La Crosse Credit card interest F Rest/State Health F Waukesha Gasoline prices F Grn Bay Area Health care F Rest/State Health care F Grn Bay Area Taxes F Rest/State Health care F City/Milwauk Crime F Mil Sub Too many of our factories and workplaces are leaving the state. It seems like the middleman is not there anymore. You are either rich or poor. M Grn Bay Area Legislature wastes money F Mil Sub Health care F Grn Bay Area Government spending lots of money on the wrong things M Grn Bay Area Health care M Waukesha Health care M Rest/State Inflation F Mil Sub Taxes M La Crosse Universal health care F Southeast Education for the children - making sure the kids can have \ funding for college - the taxes are to high F Rest/State Health care F La Crosse Health care F Mil Sub Taxes too high F City/Milwauk Taxes are always a big problem and crime is also M La Crosse Taxes F Grn Bay Area Farmers get fair share of what they do F Mil Sub High taxes F Mil Sub Health care M Madison Fuel costs F Mil Sub Taxes too high M Grn Bay Area Education F Southeast Holding down taxes M Grn Bay Area Rising taxes F Rest/State Lower school taxes for senior citizens F Madison The war M Madison The housing problem M Rest/State Need of jobs F Mil Sub Health care F City/Milwauk Health care F City/Milwauk Medicare F La Crosse Work on the pay day loan places M Rest/State Coal is the problem F Grn Bay Area Health care F Grn Bay Area Too much spending on issues not important M La Crosse Improving the education system F Madison Funding for education F Rest/State Health care M Waukesha Crime F Madison Taxes M Mil Sub Outsourcing M Rest/State Gas prices F Rest/State Insurance M Rest/State Improving education F Mil Sub High taxes and medical help for the poor F Madison Health care - insurance for everybody M Grn Bay Area Lowering taxes F La Crosse Health care coverage for everyone F Grn Bay Area Stop the war M Rest/State Stop taxing Social Security M Grn Bay Area Wasteful government spending F Madison Global warming F Rest/State School system M Grn Bay Area Education M Rest/State Helping the elderly and low income people F Rest/State Getting the people out of Iraq M City/Milwauk Taxes M Grn Bay Area The economy M Grn Bay Area Health care M La Crosse Making our schools better M City/Milwauk Iraq M Mil Sub High property taxes F Grn Bay Area The economy here F Southeast Health care F Waukesha Oil price taxes - health care F Madison Children’s' health insurance costs F Rest/State Health care F Madison High taxes - property taxes M Rest/State Jobs and high taxes F Mil Sub Health care F Grn Bay Area Education M Grn Bay Area Health care M Grn Bay Area Health care M Rest/State Property taxes are too high M Rest/State The health care - make it affordable M City/Milwauk Law and order F La Crosse Education F Mil Sub Health care/insurance F Rest/State Health care F Rest/State Improve education F Madison Property taxes F Grn Bay Area Health care F Rest/State Health care - we need better insurance and lower the costs F Southeast Education F Rest/State Keep senior care - continue to pay for prescriptions F Grn Bay Area Health insurance F La Crosse Health care M Grn Bay Area Health insurance F Waukesha Price of gas F Rest/State Health care M Mil Sub High property taxes M Rest/State Property taxes are too high F Grn Bay Area The economy M Waukesha Taxes F Grn Bay Area Health care F Rest/State Health insurance M Southeast Health care F La Crosse Medical insurance. People like myself and my husband who are on disability cannot possibly make it. F Madison Taxes M Mil Sub Health insurance and the war F Grn Bay Area Our economy - well I think we should have more American jobs centered in America rather than sending it overseas M Rest/State Taxes F Mil Sub Affordable health care, fuel prices, energy prices F Grn Bay Area I would say education F Mil Sub High taxes F Madison Property taxes F City/Milwauk Medicare M Rest/State Inflation F Madison Finances - economic M Southeast Schools are the most important thing. - making sure we have the best schools M Madison Gas prices, taxes, and higher wages F Grn Bay Area Health care F La Crosse The economy F Waukesha Keep taxes lower F Madison Environment F Grn Bay Area Self care F Rest/State Education M La Crosse There's too many to choose M Rest/State The stupid war in Iraq. - war based on lies and Bush's personal agenda. - there are so many people still swallowing the Iraq connection to 9/11 it sickens me. - too many kids are dying. F Madison Universal health care F Madison Gasoline prices F City/Milwauk Violence F Madison High taxes M Rest/State Global climate change F City/Milwauk Medicare F Madison Education improvement M Madison Senior - 62 to 65 health care F Grn Bay Area Health care F City/Milwauk Crime M Mil Sub Sending our jobs out of the country M La Crosse Distribute taxes more equally F Grn Bay Area Provide more employment for the unemployed. - give people a living wage. M Southeast Lower gasoline and taxes F Madison Money for schools F City/Milwauk High taxes, high cost of living, utilities. - lot of bad eggs in politics. As a consumer, I have to bust my ass to make ends meet. I am over 65 and I work. My husband is retiring soon and I am worried about our utilities continue to rise. - my property taxes F Grn Bay Area Health care M City/Milwauk The war in Iraq F Rest/State Taxes reduced F Madison Taxes - taxes is probably the biggest thing - property taxes are too high F Grn Bay Area The economy M
Madison
Public education F Grn Bay Area Take taxes away from senior citizens Republicans—134 ResponsesF Waukesha Health care F Mil Sub Fatal accidents due to teen driving in the area F Madison Health care with the elderly M Grn Bay Area Health care F Grn Bay Area Aids funding M Southeast Abortion M Madison Physical condition of state M Grn Bay Area Health care F City/Milwauk Reducing taxes M Rest/State Taxes F La Crosse Moral issues M Mil Sub Taxes F Grn Bay Area Budget M Waukesha Governor Doyle F Grn Bay Area High taxes - just for the state income tax M Mil Sub Need lower taxes M Grn Bay Area Legislative disagreement M Madison High taxes M Waukesha Taxes F Waukesha Health insurance M Southeast Rising real estate taxes M La Crosse I think we should straighten up the budget M Rest/State The fuel prices F Southeast Taking care of sick and elderly F Grn Bay Area Health insurance F Southeast High taxes F Rest/State Cost of health care M Rest/State Taxes F Mil Sub Gas prices M Mil Sub Taxes too high F Mil Sub The health care crisis F La Crosse Budget F Grn Bay Area Health insurance F Rest/State Health care F Rest/State Health care cost M Mil Sub Taxes too high M La Crosse Taxes M La Crosse Illegal immigration M Rest/State Democrats M Waukesha Taxes M Madison Do something about lousy education M Grn Bay Area Too much government at all levels M Mil Sub Lower taxes F La Crosse Budget F City/Milwauk Immigration M City/Milwauk Crime and jobs M Southeast Taxes F Rest/State Health care M Madison Energy F Madison High taxes M Southeast Rising property taxes M Grn Bay Area Illegal immigration F Rest/State Education M Waukesha Health care F Waukesha The economy F Southeast Taxes F Mil Sub High taxes M City/Milwauk Employment F Grn Bay Area Property and state taxes F Grn Bay Area Get the troops out of Iraq F Madison The Iraq war - they should support it more vigorously M Rest/State Taxes F Rest/State Hard to keep up with property taxes F La Crosse Taxes F Mil Sub Education F Rest/State Education - don't agree with what the governor wants to do with it F La Crosse Taxes F Southeast Better repair on roads M Mil Sub Taxes M Mil Sub Young people M Mil Sub Taxes M Grn Bay Area Taxes M Mil Sub High taxes M Rest/State Keeping balanced budget M City/Milwauk Cutting taxes M City/Milwauk Jobs M Waukesha Health care M City/Milwauk Taxes F Mil Sub Gas prices M City/Milwauk Taxes M La Crosse The budget is a big problem M La Crosse Unemployment M
Grn Bay Area The
economy M Mil Sub Taxes M Southeast Political agenda improving M Grn Bay Area Abortion M Grn Bay Area Housing foreclosures M Madison Deficit F Grn Bay Area Need health care system revised so adults can get coverage F Rest/State Health care - they need to look more into the people that don't have it M Rest/State Too high of taxes M
Mil Sub
Lower taxes M La Crosse The budget - I think taxes are too high & money is not being spent right F Grn Bay Area Income taxes M
Rest/State
Cutting taxes F Mil Sub High taxes F La Crosse Taxes F Rest/State Health care F Madison The budget F Rest/State The job market is very bad and a lot of homeless people need help M Rest/State Taxes F Southeast Abortion - that is to say banning it M City/Milwauk Crime and jobs M Grn Bay Area Reducing our local taxes M Mil Sub Budget M Southeast Taxes F Rest/State Taxes F Rest/State Property taxes are too high F Waukesha Economy M Grn Bay Area Taxes M Rest/State Cutting taxes M La Crosse Corruption in government F Grn Bay Area Losing business in the state because of taxes M La Crosse Health care - equal shares - fighting in both houses and blaming both political parties for that - pushing people into becoming Independents M Grn Bay Area The Department of Resources - the government's in control now M Mil Sub Government spending too much F La Crosse Taxes M Rest/State The Democrats M Rest/State Property taxes are too high M Grn Bay Area High taxes F Southeast Unemployment F Mil Sub The job situation F Rest/State Health care F Waukesha Health care M Rest/State Balancing the budget M Rest/State Taxes M Waukesha Gay marriage F Mil Sub High taxes F Mil Sub Health insurance F Mil Sub Health insurance in general M Grn Bay Area Increase in property taxes. - the spending levels are way too high - this new budget is crazy. - there is too much spending M Grn Bay Area Illegal immigration M Grn Bay Area Foreclosures and defaults F Southeast Nursing homes Other
Party—26 Responses F La Crosse Health care M Waukesha Abortion F Rest/State Educational process, money not available F Grn Bay Area Budget F Rest/State Education F Mil Sub Drunk driving laws F Madison Health care M Rest/State Bringing the boys home M La Crosse Lack of jobs F Madison Health care F Mil Sub Our governor F City/Milwauk High taxes F Waukesha Taxes too high F La Crosse Dental care for low income and poor M Grn Bay Area High gas prices F Waukesha The great lakes/concerned about the St. Lawrence Seaway and the sand pollution M City/Milwauk Taxes F Rest/State Senior care F Waukesha High taxes F Grn Bay Area Budget F Southeast The economy M Mil Sub The economy F La Crosse Health care and insurance M Rest/State Health care M Madison Taxes F City/Milwauk High taxes No Party Given—13 ResponsesF Grn Bay Area Lower taxes M Madison Taxes too high F Mil Sub Get out of debt M Waukesha I'd say taxes are the biggest thing M Southeast Protection of the environment F Mil Sub Health care M City/Milwauk Looking after our soldiers in Iraq M Waukesha High taxes/gas prices F Grn Bay Area Taxes F City/Milwauk Taxes - lower them M City/Milwauk Taking care of the war - health care F Southeast They need to improve the wages in Wisconsin - they make less money than our neighboring state M Mil Sub Taxes
|
©2007 Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, Inc. P.O. Box 487 Thiensville, WI 53092 |