UCI

Executive Summary

This fourteenth report of the Orange County Annual Survey, UCI, identifies and analyzes the top concerns of Orange County residents, including the financial crisis, the economy and crime. In addition, we examine Orange County trends at mid-decade. The 1995 survey was conducted August 18-27 and included random telephone interviews with 1,001 Orange County adult residents. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3% at the 95% confidence level. Here are the highlights of this year's findings:

Most Important Problem

This year, the Orange County investment fund losses are considered the county's most important problem (26%), followed by crime (21%), immigration (13%) and the economy (12%). Since 1990, mention of crime has risen and traffic has fallen as the county's top problem. Mention of the financial crisis is greatest in the South County and among those earning more than $36,000, while Central County residents and those earning less are more concerned about crime.

Bankruptcy Attitudes

The county's bankruptcy is called a "big problem" by 71 percent of residents. Twenty-eight percent are fearful they or someone in their family will be affected by cuts resulting from the fund losses. Twenty-five percent say they have already been affected. Those most likely to have experienced the bankruptcy's impacts are parents with children in the local public schools (37%) and 35- to 54-year-olds (30%). There are no differences by income or region in experience of impacts. Fear of being affected cuts across all demographic groups.

Local Government

Opinions of county government have deteriorated since 1985, with residents more likely today to call it ineffective and to want their cities to have more power. Only 41 percent say the current system of city and county governments sharing power is effective, while 51 percent say it is not. Sixty-six percent would like their cities to have more power and the county to have less power over local affairs than they do today. A merger of city and county governments is favored by 26 percent and opposed by 68 percent. A proposal to appoint a strong county CEO and change the supervisors to part-time positions is favored by 59 percent and opposed by 33 percent, while 41 percent approve and 53 percent disapprove of changing the county treasurer, clerk and auditor from elected to appointed posts. Sixty-eight percent favor allowing county government to "contract out" county services to private companies and 26 percent are opposed. Increasing the number of supervisors is opposed by 71 percent, with 23 percent in favor. Term limits for the supervisors are favored by 83 percent, and opposed by 13 percent.

Orange County Economy
Assessments of the local economy have fallen back to recession levels, with only 19 percent saying the county is in excellent or good shape, 50 percent calling it fair and 30 percent saying poor. These numbers are substantially lower than last year. Those who have been or fear being affected by the bankruptcy are even more negative. Residents remain optimistic about the county's economic future, with 46 percent anticipating that the economy will improve in two years, 32 percent expecting no change and 19 percent thinking it will get worse. These numbers are similar to past years. Those affected by or worried about the bankruptcy are less optimistic.

Consumer Confidence

The bankruptcy appears to have affected consumer confidence, holding down the Orange County Consumer Confidence Index to 90, which is unchanged from last year and below the national figure. All five consumer confidence questions show no improvement from 1994: 38 percent say they are better off financially this year; 45 percent expect to be better off next year; 63 percent see this as a good time to make major purchases; 48 percent expect good times for the U.S. economy in the next year; and 45 percent expect good times nationwide over the next five years. Consumer confidence is especially gloomy among those who have been affected by or are worried about the county's bankruptcy. The county's median annual household income stands at $47,000, unchanged since 1993.

Housing

Residents are less positive this year about buying an Orange County home, with only 50 percent of homeowners and 41 percent of renters saying this would be an excellent or good investment. These numbers have fallen from two years ago. Opinions of buying a house in Orange County are even more negative among those affected by or worried about the financial crisis. Housing costs are unchanged from last year, with the median monthly mortgage now at $919 and the median rent at $730. Since 1990, mortgages have gone up 19 percent and rents have risen by 1 percent.

Crime Perceptions

Crime continues to rank as a significant local issue, with 43 percent saying it is a big problem in Orange County and 47 percent very or somewhat fearful of becoming crime victims. These numbers are unchanged from 1994. Crime fears and rating of crime as a problem are highest in the Central County and among lower-income residents. Those who have been affected by the bankruptcy are also more afraid of crime.

Law Enforcement

Most residents (53%) continue to have high confidence in the ability of the local police to protect them from crime, while 46 percent have little or no confidence. Only 25 percent have much confidence in the courts' ability to convict and sentence criminals, with 73 percent having little or no confidence. These ratings are the same as last year. Confidence in police and courts is lower among those who are very fearful about the bankruptcy's future impacts.

County Perceptions

The county's quality of life ratings are unchanged from last year, with 12 percent saying things are going "very well,"56 percent saying "somewhat well" and 32 percent saying quot;badly." Confidence in the county's future is up slightly from 1994, with 34 percent expecting it to become a better place in two years, 38 percent thinking it will be no different and 28 percent saying it will become a worse place to live. Those who are fearful or have already been affected by the county's fiscal crisis are considerably more negative about the county's present and future. Drug abuse and health care are tied for the county's most important social issue (28% each), followed by the homeless and race relations (15% each), child care (8%) and AIDS (5%). Mention of health care is up 9 points from 1994.

Transportation

Satisfaction with the freeways is at a new high for the decade, with 23 percent calling the current system satisfactory, 52 percent wanting more lanes on existing freeways and 25 percent wanting new freeways to be built. The number who are satisfied is up 14 points since 1990. Satisfaction continues to be lowest in the South County. Commuting patterns are unchanged over the decade, with 80 percent driving alone, 13 percent carpooling and 2 percent using public transit. Fifty-seven percent of employed residents say traffic congestion is a problem during their daily commute, with 17 percent calling it a "great" problem. These numbers are unchanged over this decade and are consistently lower than in the last half of the 1980s. Sixty percent are satisfied with the way Measure M funds are being spent -- up 12 points from 1992 -- while 20 percent are not satisfied. Thirty-seven percent have noticed specific Measure M projects, the same as three years ago. Measure M projects are most apparent in the South County and least in the Central area.

Charitable Giving

Charitable activities dropped this year. The median donation was $177, down $47 from 1994, while 44 percent did volunteer work, down 11 points from last year. The drop in donations stems mainly from lower-income households giving less this year, while the rate of giving among affluent residents and the number giving more than $500 is unchanged. Twenty-two percent volunteered for more than one organization, down from 26 percent last year. Older and more affluent residents are more likely to volunteer their time. Those who have been affected by the bankruptcy are also more likely to volunteer.

Political Climate

Orange County's political party registration has not changed during the 1990s, with 48 percent calling themselves Republicans and 27 percent Democrats. There is also no change in the number who are moderate-to-somewhat-conservative (58%). Twenty-one percent of adults say they have not voted in the past four years, 29 percent voted one to three times and 50 percent have voted four or more times. About half of Hispanic (50%) and Asian (47%) adults say they have not voted, compared to 13 percent of nonhispanic whites. Of those who voted four or more times, 88 percent are nonhispanic whites.