Presented by Lori Weigel, Partner

1
HOT ISSUES GROWTH IN COLORADO Key Findings
based on a Bi-partisan Survey of 502 Voters in
Colorado Conducted by Public Opinion Strategies
Talmey-Drake
Conducted February 5-7 9-10, 2002
Presented by Lori Weigel, Partner
1
2
Basic Attitudes Towards Colorado and Growth
3
Voters continue to be positive about the
direction of Colorado.
"Generally speaking, would you say that things
here in Colorado are going in the right
direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten
off on the wrong track?"
70
67
65
Right Direction
62
59
56
65
RIGHT DIRECTION
30
30
27
27
24
16
DK/NS/
WRONG TRACK
Wrong Track
No Opinion
27
8
July
August
July
Sept.
Feb.
1995
1998
1999
2001
2001
2002
4
Growth dominates the issue agenda - it receives
twice as
many mentions as education AND the economy.
In general, what do you consider to be the one
most important issue facing Colorado today?
52
Growth
13
Education/Schools
Total Growth
52
12
Economy
Growth, too much/too fast
28
6
Environment
Traffic/Congestion
12
Development, too much
5
4
Transportation
Open space/Loss of,
4
preserve, more of
3
Crime
Planned Growth
1
Other Growth
2
1
Social Problems
5
Concerns about the economy have completely faded
since September. Growth is top concern in every
region of state, including rural areas
"What would you say is the single MOST important
problem facing Colorado, that is, the one
you, yourself, are most concerned about?"
52
48
38
Growth/
37
37
Traffic
34
26
25
21
13
15
14
14
14
Crime
12
11
11
9
9
12
Education
7
5
Pocketbook/
4
4
3
3
3
2
Economy
2/2
7/98
8/99
2/01
9/01
12/97
10/98
6
Ever since 9/11, Republicans have been more
concerned about growth than Democrats or
Independents.
Most Important Problem By Party
56
50
47
14
13
9
Republican
Independent
Democrat
Growth
Economy
7
Concerns about growth increase with the
education level of the respondent.
Most Important Problem By Education
61
58
54
49
45
16
14
9
7
7
High
Some
College
Post
Opinion
School
College
Grad
Grad
Elite
Growth
Economy
8
Notably, another measurement also shows economic
concerns are not higher in the state than in the
past.
Are you or anyone in your household afraid of
losing a job in the next six months?
1995
2002
Yes
Yes
18
16
DK/NS/
DK/NS/
Refused
Refused
1
2
No
No
81
82
9
What is it About Growth?
In focus groups, respondents visual image of
growth tends to be of cookie cutter housing
developments and strip malls stretching across
vast swaths of once-empty land. The secondary
image is of being stuck in traffic and routine
errands taking more and more time. However,
traffic is the most personally affecting and most
stressful, particularly for women. Notably, the
word growth has both negative and positive
connotations for voters. Voters credit growth
not only with jobs and economic stability, but
also bringing diversity, culture, more
opportunities, and more activities to their
areas. The negative impacts are not only being
felt in towns and cities, but voters also
describe no trespassing signs where they used to
hunt and crowded campgrounds, trails and highways
in the mountains.
10
Perceptions that growth is negatively impacting
voters has increased since 1995.
Regardless of how you feel about how fast
Colorado is growing, would you say that in the
past
few years growth in Colorado has positively
affected you and others in your household,
negatively affected you and others in your
household, or would you say that recent growth in
the state has not had much affect on your
household one way or the other? If you feel that
growth has both positively and negatively
affected your household, please just say so.
1995
2002
Negatively
Negatively
23
Positively
Positively
30
22
19
DK/NS
DK/NS
1
1
No Effect
29
Both
No Effect
Both
23
24
28
11
Lower income voters and those who rely on growth
to
make a living are most positive about its effect
on them.
TOTAL DIFFERENCE SCORE 8
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
30
22
View of Growth Ranked by Difference Score
14
Western Slope
13
Living from tourism/rec.
11
Hispanic
10
Men less than college
GOP
8
Lived here less than 5
7
Under 20K income
3
Women less than coll.
2
-2
Rural
-12
Front Range
-18
Denver metro
-18
Democrats
-24
Opinion elite
-25
College Men
-27
Independents
12
Surprisingly, voters view their quality of life
in
Colorado as having improved over the last five
years...
Looking back, would you say that your quality of
life here in Colorado has generally improved
during the last five years or so, has it gotten
worse, or do you feel that things here are still
pretty
much the same as they were five years ago?
1995
2002
Improved
Improved
Gotten
37
23
Worse
38
Gotten
DK/NS
Worse
DK/NS
1
25
1
Stayed
Stayed
the same
the same
38
36
13
...Although this is mostly driven by those newer
to the state,
and a long commute doesn't equate to low quality
of life
Quality of Life
By Length Of Residency
By Commute
62
52
46
36
36
32
31
30
24
17
16
8
5
6-20
20-40
41
10 miles
Alternative
Years
Years
Years
Years
transport
Improved
Worse
14
Voters don't foresee a drastic change in growth
rates, belying the slowing economy.
And generally speaking, do you think that in the
next five years the area where you live will
grow faster than it has in the past five years,
about as fast has it has been growing, or do you
think the growth rate there will slow down in the
coming five years?
1995
2002
Grow
Grow
Faster
Faster
39
37
DK/NS
DK/NS
About
2
1
The Same
About
38
Growth
Growth
The Same
Will Slow
Will Slow
38
21
24
15
Belief that growth is well managed has dropped
below 50 since 1995.
Would you say that growth and development around
where you live has been pretty
well-managed, or would you say that growth there
has been poorly managed?
1995
2002
Well
Well
Managed
Managed
47
54
DK/NS
DK/NS
Some
3
4
of Both
Some of
5
Both
Poorly
Poorly
10
Managed
Managed
39
38
16
There is a strong correlation to education level
in
perceptions of how well managed development is.
Growth Management
55
51
49
48
44
43
39
36
34
32
High
Some
College
Post
Opinion
School
College
Grad
Grad
Elite
Well-managed
Poorly managed
17
Management of growth is more of an issue in rural
areas
and the CO Springs media market.
Growth Management
By Area
By DMA
50
48
48
44
43
43
42
39
37
36
Rural
Suburban
Urban
CO-Springs/
Denver
Pueblo
Metro
Well-managed
Poorly managed
18
Voters continue to perceive decreasing traffic
congestion as the greatest potential benefit of
dealing with growth issues.
Let me read you a few benefits some say could be
achieved from better managing Colorado's
growth and sprawl. Please tell me which one is
most important to you?
33
Decreasing traffic congestion
27
23
Less crowded schools and classes
23
21
Protecting more open space
23
13
Preserving the character
of your community
13
8
2002
Decreasing air pollution
13
1995
19
The legislature receives the lowest marks on
addressing growth related problems.
I will read you a list of two names, and after I
read each one, please tell me whether each one
has done about
the right amount, too little or almost nothing to
address the problems brought on by growth and
sprawl.
About Right
Almost Nothing
Too Little
20
Potential Growth Solutions
Every single proposal tested demonstrated high
levels of support among all voter groups
throughout the state, including nearly
three-fourths (74) of Republicans supporting
each proposal.
21
I am going to read you several proposals related
to growth that might come before the Colorado
State Legislature. After I
read each one, please tell me if you strongly
support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or
strongly oppose each proposal.
Strongly Support
Smwt Support
A proposal to provide additional transportation
options, such as light and commuter rail, bus
service, bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways
A proposal to protect additional open space by
increasing the amount of funding available for
purchasing land in order to preserve land along
rivers, wildlife habitat and undeveloped areas
between towns or cities A proposal to require
cities and counties to create local land use
plans that are enforceable, not just advisory as
they are now. In addition, the land use plans
communities adopt must include planning for open
space, environmental quality, water, affordable
housing and transportation A proposal to
protect additional open space by increasing the
amount of funding available for purchasing land
to preserve farms, ranches, and orchards
threatened by development A proposal to give
local governments the authority to use impact
fees that are collected on new development for
the construction of new schools made necessary
by new development A proposal to have cities and
counties designate areas where development will
be allowed and infrastructure such as roads and
sewers will be provided, and to limit development
outside those areas
57
87
55
EASTERN SLOPE
83
51
82
80
49
EASTERN SLOPE
91
WESTERN SLOPE
44
47
77
36
79
21
22
Voters are more likely to say that a citizens
initiative
will be needed to address growth related problems.
In the next year or two, do you think the
Colorado Legislature will pass laws that
adequately address problems associated with
growth and sprawl, or do you think people
will have to resort to a citizen's initiative to
get something done?
Legislature will
pass laws
19
Will have to resort
to citizen initiative
61
DK/NS
10
Neither will
happen
10
23
Although there is a partisan distinction, even
GOP voters believe an initiative will be needed.
Growth Laws By Party
71
63
51
27
16
12
Republican
Independent
Democrat
Legislature
Initiative
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For more information about this presentation or
about Public Opinion Strategies, please give us a
call.
LORI WEIGEL
lori_at_pos.org
Turning Questions Into Answers
http//www.pos.org 4134 Grove Street ? Denver, CO
? 80211 [phone] Phone ? [phone] Fax