UCI

Tracking Questions: County Perceptions

Assessments of the quality of life in Orange County show no improvements this year, quelling the upturn that appeared to be underway in 1994.

Today, 12 percent of residents say things in the county are going "very well," 56 percent say "somewhat well," and 32 percent say life in the county is going "badly." These numbers are virtually unchanged from last year, in contrast to a significant gain between 1993 and 1994 in the number giving positive ratings.

Once again, it appears that the Orange County bankruptcy is responsible for stifling the return of optimism. Among those who are "very fearful" that they will be affected by the county's financial crisis, 43 percent describe life here as going badly. Among those who do not worry a lot about being affected, by contrast, only 27 percent say things are going badly. And among those who have already felt the impacts, 39 percent give the county negative quality of life ratings, compared to 29 percent of those who have not been affected.

The quality of life ratings would be even lower if not for the optimism of South County residents, of whom only 25 percent say things are going badly. Elsewhere in the county, 35 percent give the local quality of life a negative rating. There are no differences by income or age.

Despite the rough year Orange County had in 1995, confidence in the county's future rose slightly. Today, 34 percent expect the county to become a better place to live, up from 27 percent in 1994. Thirty-eight percent now think the county will be unchanged in the future, while 28 percent believe it will become a worse place to live. Last year, 43 percent expected no change and 30 percent thought the county would take a turn for the worse in the future.

The number expecting the county to be a worse place in the future is the lowest ever found in the annual survey. When we first asked this question, in 1983, 35 percent had a dim prediction for the county's future. The previous lowest point with this view was 32 percent, in 1992.

However, impacts of last year's bankruptcy are also evident in the future assessments. The outlook is more negative among those who are very worried about being affected by the county's losses (35%), and those who have already been affected (37%), than among those with little or no concerns and those who have not encountered any impacts so far (25% each).

There are no differences by region, income or age in expectations for the county's future.

As for the county's most serious health and social issue, drug abuse and health care tie for the top this year (28% each), followed distantly by the homeless and race relations (15% each), with other topics mentioned by fewer than 10 percent.

The number mentioning health care as a top concern is up 9 points from last year, perhaps partly reflecting fears about cuts in government programs mentioned in Washington, and those at home arising from the county's bankruptcy. There are no other sign ificant changes from last year.

Concern about health care is higher in the South County (36%) than elsewhere (25%). There are no differences by age, income or personal experience with impacts from the bankruptcy.

Comparing today to the 1990 survey, the number saying the current quality of life in Orange County is going very well has declined (22% to 12%), while those saying things are going badly have increased (25% to 32%). However, pessimism about the county's future has also declined (44% to 28%), as more believe there will be no changes from the present (27% to 38%). Mention of drug abuse as the biggest health and social problem has decreased sharply (44% to 28%), while health care has risen (16% to 28%).