UCI

2002 PPIC Statewide Survey: December 2002
Special Survey of Orange County
Public Policy Institute of California
in collaboration with the
University of California, Irvine

Press Release
Survey Methodology
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County Conditions
Most Important Problem
Regional Problems
Local Public Services
Local Government Ratings
Resident Satisfaction
Quality of Life

Public Policy
Infrastructure
Surface Transportation
Priorities and Funding
 
Funding Transportation Projects Through Local Sales Tax 
Measure M Sales Tax
The Great Park

Economic and Political Trends
Consumer Confidence
County Economy
Real Estate Market
Personal Finance
Economic Inequality
Approval Ratings of the Governor
Approval Ratings of the President

Appendices
2002 Survey
Survey Advisory Commitee

University of California, Irvine
© 2002 UC Regents

PPIC STATEWIDE SURVEY: SPECIAL SURVEY OF ORANGE COUNTY

NOVEMBER 6—NOVEMBER 14, 2002

2,007 california adult residents; english and spanish
MARGIN OF ERROR +/- 2% AT 95% confidence level for total sample

1. First, I would like to ask you some questions about where you live. Is the place you currently live a single-family detached home; an attached home such as a condo, duplex, or town home; an apartment; or another type of dwelling?

56% single-family detached home

20 attached home

22 apartment

1 trailer / mobile home

1 other (specify)

2. How long have you lived at your current address—less than five years, five years to under 10 years, 10 years to under 20 years, or 20 years or more?

50% less than five years

21 five years to under 10 years

14 10 years to under 20 years

15 20 years or more

3. Do you own or rent your current residence?

61% own

38 rent

1 neither (volunteered)

4. Overall, how satisfied are you with the house or apartment you live in? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

65% very satisfied

27 somewhat satisfied

6 somewhat dissatisfied

2 very dissatisfied

5. And, overall, how satisfied are you with the neighborhood you live in? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

66% very satisfied

26 somewhat satisfied

5 somewhat dissatisfied

3 very dissatisfied

Next, I’d like to ask how you would rate some of the public services in your local area. For each one, please tell me if you think they are excellent, good, fair, or poor. (rotate questions 6 to 9)

6. How about local freeways, streets, and roads?

19% excellent

47 good

24 fair

10 poor

7. How about local parks, beaches, and other public recreational facilities?

34% excellent

48 good

13 fair

3 poor

2 don’t know

8. How about local police protection?

37% excellent

46 good

11 fair

4 poor

2 don’t know

9. How about local public schools?

25% excellent

38 good

12 fair

5 poor

20 don’t know

10. Overall, how would you rate the performance of city government in solving problems in your city— excellent, good, fair, or poor?

11% excellent

47 good

27 fair

8 poor

1 don’t live in city (volunteered)

6 don’t know

Next, we are interested in your opinions about the region or broader geographic area that you live in. I am going to read you a list of problems other people have told us about. For each one, please tell me if you think this is a big problem, somewhat of a problem, or not a problem in your part of Orange County.
(rotate questions 11 to 15)

11. How about traffic congestion on freeways and major roads?

56% big problem

34 somewhat of a problem

9 not a problem

1 don’t know

12. How about population growth and development?

34% big problem

35 somewhat of a problem

29 not a problem

2 don’t know

13. How about the availability of housing that you can afford?

48% big problem

29 somewhat of a problem

20 not a problem

3 don’t know

14. How about the lack of opportunities for well-paying jobs?

20% big problem

33 somewhat of a problem

37 not a problem

10 don’t know

15. How about air pollution?

16% big problem

40 somewhat of a problem

43 not a problem

1 don’t know

16. Next, we are interested in your opinions about Orange County as a whole. First, what do you think is the most important issue facing Orange County today? (code response, do not read list)

20% population growth, development, sprawl

16 traffic and transportation

12 housing costs, housing availability,
housing affordability

8 jobs, the economy, unemployment

6 schools, education

5 crime, gangs

4 El Toro Marine Air base

3 environment and pollution

3 immigration, illegal immigration

1 poverty, the poor, homeless, welfare

1 drugs and drug abuse

1 government regulations

1 terrorism, security issues, bioterrorism,
anthrax

8 other (specify)

11 don’t know

17. Thinking about the quality of life in Orange County, how do you think things are going—very well, somewhat well, somewhat badly, or very badly?

32% very well

57 somewhat well

9 somewhat badly

2 very badly

18. In the future, do you think that Orange County will be a better place to live than it is now, a worse place to live than it is now, or there will be no change?

33% better place

31 worse place

32 no change

4 don’t know

19. On another topic, how would you rate the performance of county government in solving problems in Orange County—excellent, good, fair, or poor?

5% excellent

37 good

38 fair

12 poor

8 don’t know

20. When your county government’s officials decide what policies to adopt, how much attention do you think they pay to what the people think—a lot, some, very little, or no attention?

12% a lot

49 some

28 very little

7 no attention

4 don’t know

21. In general, do you think the people who run the county government waste a lot, some, very little, or none of the money we pay in taxes?

35% waste a lot

46 waste some

10 waste very little

2 waste none

7 don’t know

22. On another topic, are you familiar with the Great Park Plan for the reuse of the El Toro Marine Base? (if yes: Do you know a lot or little about it?)

25% yes, a lot

46 yes, a little

29 no

23. As you may know, the Great Park Plan will turn the El Toro Marine Base into an urban park including both open space and recreational facilities. The plan also leaves about 15 percent of the land for commercial and residential development. Do you favor or oppose the Great Park plan?

65% favor

24 oppose

11 don’t know

24. Do you favor or oppose using your local tax dollars to help fund the Great Park project?

49% favor

44 oppose

7 don’t know

 

25. Would you favor or oppose setting aside some of the residential development included in the Great Park plan for affordable housing?

71% favor

25 oppose

4 don’t know

26. And do you think that you will use the Great Park for recreational purposes? (if yes: Do you think you will use it often, sometimes, or rarely?)

13% yes, often

30 yes, sometimes

14 yes, rarely

39 no

4 don’t know

27. Next, I am going to ask you about a term that not everyone will have heard of. Have you heard about "infrastructure?" (if yes: Do you know a lot or a little about it?)

24% yes, a lot

36 yes, a little

40 no

28. You may know the term "infrastructure" refers to public works projects—such as surface transportation, water systems, school facilities, sewers, and airports. Which infrastructure project do you think should have the top priority for public funds in Orange County? (read list, rotate)

45% school facilities

27 surface transportation

13 water systems

7 sewer systems

5 airports

1 other (specify)

2 don’t know

29. What type of transportation project do you think should have the top priority for public funds in Orange County? (read list, rotate)

39% freeways and highways

21 light rail system

16 local streets and roads

14 public bus system

7 carpool lanes

3 don’t know

30. How important is the condition of the roads and other infrastructure to the quality of life and economic vitality in Orange County—very important, somewhat important, or not important?

73% very important

25 somewhat important

2 not important

 

31. Overall, do you think that local government does or does not have adequate funding for the roads and other infrastructure projects that are needed to prepare Orange County for future growth?

53% does

31 does not

16 don’t know

32. The local sales tax that is collected by local governments is one of the major funding sources for local transportation projects, and state law requires that it must be approved by two-thirds of the voters in a local election. Do you think that requiring a two-thirds majority vote—instead of a simple majority or 50 percent-plus-one vote—for passing a local sales tax for local transportation projects is a good thing or a bad thing?

71% good thing

23 bad thing

6 don'tknow

33. What if there was a state ballot measure that would change the two-thirds majority to a 55 percent vote for passing a local sales tax for transportation projects? Would you vote yes or no?

43% yes

50 no

7 don’t know

34. Measure M, the one-half cent sales tax approved by voters in Orange County, funds freeway projects, public transit, and local street improvements. In general, how satisfied are you with the way the Measure M funds are being used for transportation projects in Orange County—very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, or not satisfied?

14% very satisfied

54 somewhat satisfied

18 not satisfied

14 don’t know

35. Currently, the Measure M sales tax is set to expire in 2011. However, this tax can be extended beyond 2011 by a countywide vote. If an election were held today, would you vote yes or no on an Orange County ballot measure to extend the half-cent sales tax for local transportation projects for another 20 years to fund transportation projects in Orange County?

62% yes

30 no

8 don’t know

36. What if this half-cent local sales tax measure in Orange County included funding for both transportation projects and other infrastructure projects? If an election were held today, would you vote yes or no?

62% yes

29 no

9 don’t know

37. On another topic, would you say you (and your family) are financially better off or worse off than you were a year ago?

50% better off

30 worse off

19 same

1 don’t know

38. Looking ahead, do you think that a year from now you (and your family) will be financially better off, worse off, or just about the same as now?

47% better off

8 worse off

41 same

4 don’t know

39. Turning to business conditions in the country as a whole, do you think that during the next 12 months we will have good times financially or bad times?

47% good times

44 bad times

9 don’t know

40. Looking ahead, in the country as a whole, will we have continued good times during the next 5 years, or will we have periods of widespread unemployment or depression?

46% good times

44 periods of unemployment or depression

10 don’t know

41. Thinking about the big things that people buy for their homes, such as furniture, a refrigerator, a stove, a television, and things like that, generally speaking, do you think now is a good or a bad time for people to buy major household items?

61% good time

28 bad time

11 don’t know

42. Do you think that buying a home in Orange County is an excellent, good, fair, or poor investment?

35% excellent

44 good

12 fair

8 poor

1 don’t know

43. In general, how satisfied are you with your current financial situation? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, or not satisfied?

24% very satisfied

55 somewhat satisfied

21 not satisfied

 

44. Thinking about your household income, would you say that you have more than enough so that you can save money or buy some extras, just enough to meet your bills and obligations, or not enough to meet your bills and obligations?

38% more than enough

49 just enough

13 not enough

45. How often do you worry about money—very often, fairly often, not too often, or never?

26% very often

29 fairly often

36 not too often

9 never

46. In general, how would you rate the economy in Orange County today? Would you say it is excellent, good, fair, or poor?

8% excellent

50 good

34 fair

6 poor

2 don’t know

47. Would you say that Orange County is in an economic recession or not? (if yes: Do you think it is in a serious, a moderate, or a mild recession?)

5% yes, serious recession

20 yes, moderate recession

12 yes, mild recession

54 no

9 don’t know

48. Are you concerned that you or someone in your
family will lose their job in the next year or not? (if yes: Are you very concerned or somewhat concerned?)

14% yes, very concerned

16 yes, somewhat concerned

69 no

1 don’t know

49. Some people think that California is divided into economic groups, the haves and have-nots, while others think it is not divided that way. Do you think that California is divided into haves and have-nots, or do you think that California is not divided that way?

59% divided into haves and have-nots

37 not divided that way

4 don’t know

50. If you had to choose, which of these groups are you in—the haves or have-nots?

65% haves

27 have-nots

8 don’t know

51. Do you think that in California today (rotate)
(a) all people have an equal opportunity to get ahead, or (b) the government should do more to make sure that all Californians have an equal opportunity to get ahead.

56% people have equal opportunity

37 government should do more

2 both (volunteered)

2 neither (volunteered)

3 don’t know

52. On another topic, some people are registered to vote and others are not. Are you absolutely certain that you are registered to vote? (if yes: Are you registered as a Democrat, a Republican, another party, or as an independent?)

22% Yes, Democrat

35 Yes, Republican

3 Yes, other party

12 Yes, independent / "decline to state"

3 Yes, refuse to say party

25 No, not registered

53. Would you consider yourself to be politically very liberal, somewhat liberal, middle-of-the-road, somewhat conservative, or very conservative?

8% very liberal

21 somewhat liberal

30 middle-of-the-road

27 somewhat conservative

11 very conservative

3 don’t know

54. On another topic, overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way that George W. Bush is handling his job as president of the United States?

68% approve

27 disapprove

5 don’t know

55. Do you approve or disapprove of the way that President Bush is handling economic issues?

57% approve

37 disapprove

6 don’t know

56. And turning to the state, overall do you approve or disapprove of the way that Gray Davis is handling his job as governor of California?

33% approve

60 disapprove

7 don’t know

57. Do you approve or disapprove of the way that Governor Davis is handling the issue of jobs and the economy in California?

34% approve

55 disapprove

11 don’t know

58. On another subject, Orange County is home to increasing numbers of people from many different racial and ethnic groups—including Asians, Latinos, black, and whites. On balance, do you think that having increasing numbers of people from different racial and ethnic groups makes Orange County a better place to live or a worse place to live, or doesn’t it make much difference either way?

38% better place to live

12 worse place to live

47 doesn’t make much difference either way

3 don’t know

59. In your own daily life, how often do you come into contact with people from racial groups different from your own—very often, fairly often, once in a while, or hardly ever?

71% very often

14 fairly often

10 once in a while

5 hardly ever

60. How do you think you would react if someone in your family told you they were going to marry someone from another racial or ethnic group? Would it be fine with you, would it bother you but you would come to accept it, or would you not be able to accept it? (if necessary: By family we mean a member of your immediate family such as a child, brother, or sister)

79% would be fine with it

16 would bother me, but would come to accept it

2 would not be able to accept it

3 don’t know

[61-63: demographic questions]

64. How do you usually commute to work—drive alone, carpool, public bus or transit, or some other means?

80% drive alone

10 carpool

4 public bus or transit

3 work at home (volunteered)

3 other (specify)

65. Overall, how satisfied are you with your commute to work? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

47% very satisfied

30 somewhat satisfied

12 somewhat dissatisfied

9 very dissatisfied

2 don’t know

[66-70: demographic questions]


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