Community Visioning

1

• Community Visioning
• Survey
• El Paso County
• Colorado

Prepared by RBI Strategies Research April 2008
2
Methodology

• 502 telephone interviews were conducted among El
  Paso County Residents over the age of 18.
• The margin of error for the sample is /-4.35 at
  the 95 confidence level.
• The survey was conducted March 24-28, 2008.
• At times in this analysis, we compare results in
  this survey with surveys conducted by Global
  Strategy Group in 2002 and 2004, and by RBI
  Strategies in 2006.

3
Summary of Findings

• Residents of El Paso County remain extremely
  pleased with their quality of life and the
  direction things are moving locally. Despite a
  major downturn nationally (April CBS/NYT survey
  shows national wrong track at 81) 63 of El Paso
  County residents say things are headed in the
  right direction, and only 9 rate the local
  quality of life as anything other than excellent
  or good.
• Although traffic remains an important local issue
  for voters, it has fallen sharply as the one
  issue they are most worried about. As in 2006,
  growth is ranked as the single biggest issue
  facing the City and County.
• The cost of health remains the top concern of
  voters, with 71 saying they are very concerned
  about health care costs.
• Opinion towards schools has improved since 2006,
  with an overall grade of just under a B and
  slightly more voters feeling they are getting
  better rather than worse.
• City County residents believe local government
  lacks the funding to deliver the services they
  expect out of it, yet they continue to believe
  that the problems facing the community can be
  solved without raising taxes, and trust local
  government the most to deal with their top
  issues.
• Residents rate having a tolerant and accepting
  community very highly, and generally believe the
  Colorado Springs area is at least somewhat
  tolerant.
• Church and the Internet are tied as the top
  source residents use to see how to get more
  involved in the community.

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Quality of Life Rated Extremely High
How would you rate the overall quality of life in
the City and County?
Who said excellent? Areas other than C.S.
(39) Republicans (41) Advance
Degree (39) 75k-150k (45) Works
at home (48)
5
More Residents Rated the Quality of Life as
Excellent than in 2006
How would you rate the overall quality of life in
your city and county?
6
Strong Majority Believe Area is Heading in the
Right Direction
Would you say things in the City and County are
headed in the right direction, or are they off on
the wrong track?

• Those who said right direction
• Income of 75k - 150k (71)
• Lives outside C.S. (71)
• Republicans (70)
• Active/retired military family (74)

7
Growth is the Dominant Local Issue for County
Residents
In your opinion, what is the most important issue
or problem facing the City and County? (OPEN
ENDED RESPONSES WITH CODES)
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DEMOGRAPHICS ON TOP ISSUE

• Growth was named as the number one issue for
  every demographic group except age 18-34 and
  those making under 25k per year, both of whom
  named Crime as their top local issue.
• Those most concerned with Growth are college
  graduates (24), those making 50-74k per year
  (32), non Colorado Springs residents (25) and
  middle-aged residents (25).
• Crime edged out Streets/Highways/Roads for second
  place. Crime has some major demographic splits,
  as 14 of those without a college degree named it
  their top issue, compared to only 6 of those
  with a college degree.
• Those living outside of Colorado Springs are
  almost twice as likely as those living in the
  Springs to name Streets as their top issue.
• A close second issue for seniors was Water, with
  14.
• Although schools/education does not score well as
  the top issue (6) it is tied with streets/roads
  for second choice (11). Younger voters and
  women drive that second choice response.

9
Traffic Dropped Sharply as Top Local Issue
Streets/Roads, Crime, Taxes Increased
In your opinion, what is the most important issue
or problem facing the City and County?
10
City County Residents Most Likely to Trust
Local Government
In general, when it comes to addressing
important community issues, who are you most
likely to trust?
What has changed? Since 2006, Government is up
6. There was almost no change in the other
categories. Who trusts government? Over
age 65 (39) Democrats (37) Over
75k income (43) Who trusts charities?
Democrats (12) Who trusts religious orgs?
Republicans (29) HS or less education
(24) Active military (26)
11
Health Care Costs Tops List of Major Concerns
Im going to read you a list of issues. For each
one, please tell me how concerned you are about
that issue. ( responding very concerned)
11
12
Lower Rated Issues
Im going to read you a list of issues. For each
one, please tell me how concerned you are about
that issue. ( responding very concerned)
13
Comparison to 2006 Health Care and Affordable
Housing Up, Others Down
Im going to read you a list of issues. For each
one, please tell me how concerned you are about
that issue. ( responding very concerned)
13
14
Favorability of Local Leaders and Organizations
For the following people or organizations, please
tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable
opinion of them. If you have never heard of
them, please feel free to say so.
Fav Ratio
2.00
1.65
3.71
15
Public Support for Organizations and Officials
Similar to 2006
16
Public Gives Schools a B- More Believe Schools
are Getting Better
How would you grade your areas public schools?
Do you think your public schools are getting
better or worse?
32
27
17
Residents Strongly Favor Greater Cooperation
Between City County Governments

• In general, do you believe our city and county
  governments should seek a more coordinated,
  cooperative relationship with each other, or
  would it be better for them to have a fair amount
  of autonomy?

75
Those most likely to say coordinated, strongly
are Women 59 Republicans 56
150k income 70 20 year residents
60 Colorado Springs residents were slightly more
likely to say cooperative (77) than those who
live outside the City (70).
17
18
Local Residents Still Believe Community Growing
Too Fast, Although Down from 2006

• How would you assess the rate of growth in your
  community?

19
Majority of Residents Believe Government Lacks
Necessary Resources
In your opinion, does local government have the
funding necessary to adequately provide the
services you expect to deliver?
54
Women 61 Democrats 61 Under 25k 61 20 year
residents 60
38
20
More Residents View TABOR as a Positive than a
Negative

• Would you say that TABOR, the taxpayers bill of
  rights, has had a positive or negative impact
  on the community?

55 (39) Republicans (37) Men (40)
Post-Grad (32) Democrats (40) 50k or higher
(33)
21
TABOR Popularity Down Slightly from 2006 Still a
Household Word for Most
Would you say that TABOR, the taxpayers bill of
rights, has had a positive or negative impact on
the community?
Even three years after the CD campaign, TABOR
remains a well-known commodity among County
residents.
22
Most Believe Tax Increase is Unnecessary to Solve
Local Problems

• In general, do you believe that the problems
  facing the community can be solved with or
  without an increase in local taxes?

The percentage favoring a tax increase is up from
30 in 2006.
58
36
23
Seniors, Lower Income Residents Feeling Economic
SqueezePlease rate each of these on a scale of
1 to 10 with 1 being very poor, and a 10 being
excellent. How would you rate your families
current economic health? Your families economic
health one year ago?
-.18
-.09
-.33
-.43
-.01
-.56
-.17
-.03
24
Upper Income Residents See Drop in Economic
Health of the CommunityPlease rate each of
these on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being very
poor, and a 10 being excellent. How would you
rate the current economic health of the
community? The economic health of the community
one year ago?
-.63
-.64
-.63
-.88
-.45
-.48
-.60
-.80
25
Community Worried About Cost and Access of
Health Care for SeniorsWhat do you think is the
major issue seniors 60 and older face? Is it
Residents aged 65 put cost of health care
slightly lower (27) but were otherwise similar
to the overall population.
26
Residents Rate Tolerance as Important, Consider
Area Somewhat Tolerant
Minorities are most likely to rate tolerance as
important (67) and least likely to say that the
community is very tolerant (18). Others who
give the area low ratings for tolerance are 20
year residents (20), women (23), and Democrats
(12).
27
Church and Internet Leading Ways for Residents to
Seek Community InformationWhere are you most
likely to turn to seek information about how to
get more involved in the local community?