UCI

The Financial Crisis: Most Important Problem

This year, the county's bankruptcy and financial crisis top the list of what residents consider the most important county problem (26%), followed by crime (21%), immigration (13%) and jobs and the economy (12%). One in 10 or fewer name the schools (10%), transportation and traffic (8%), growth and development (6%) or housing (4%) as the county's most pressing issue.

Looking back through the annual surveys of the 1990s, the financial crisis is the fourth issue to be named the most important problem this decade. Traffic was the top issue in 1990 (40%) and 1991 (26%). In 1992, the economy was named the most important public policy problem (26%). Then crime became the top concern of county residents in 1993 (29%) and again in 1994 (31%).

Since 1990, the most significant trends are toward increased mention of crime (12% to 21%) and less mention of traffic (40% to 8%) as the biggest problem facing the county.

The significant trend of the past decade is that while traffic dominated the list from 1985 to 1991, since 1992 three different issues have been named as the county's most important problem.

Meanwhile, the number saying the economy is the top county issue has trended steadily downward, from 26 percent in 1992, to 20 percent in 1993, 18 percent in 1994, and 12 percent in 1995.

Mention of the financial crisis as the top issue varies across age groups. Those aged 35 to 54 are more likely to say the financial crisis is the biggest county problem (32%) than are younger (21%) or older adults (22%). This is because residents 55 and older are more likely than others to name immigration, while younger residents are more likely to focus on housing and the schools. A similar one in five in all age groups names crime as the top county issue.

The financial crisis is the top problem among those with incomes above $36,000. Residents earning less are more likely to mention crime than the bankruptcy as the top issue (23% to 17%). Concern about the financial crisis is highest (36%) and worries about crime are lowest (16%) among those earning $80,000 or more.

There are major differences by region. Central County residents mention crime more than the financial crisis as their top concern (31% to 17%). But in the South County, the bankruptcy is a much more pressing issue than is crime (38% to 11%).