Notes

Slide Show

Outline

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2	Otsego County Survey on Jail Millage and Related Issues Presented by EPIC ▪ MRA May, 2007
3	Methodology EPIC ▪ MRA administered interviews with 300 registered voters residing in the Otsego County, Michigan, April, 2007. ±5.7 percent margin of error
4	-- Questionnaire Frame Measure, among other things: Attitudes toward county services in general Perceived biggest problem Attitudes re: relative tax burden Reasons for past voting behavior Arguments for & against jail proposal Level of acceptance for several options
5	-- Overarching Conclusion Otsego County residents display a high level of anxiety about the current economic conditions and future economic prospects. There is no groundswell of discontent over the current delivery of county services, although economic concerns leave voters skeptical re: county’s management of finances. Crime is not viewed as being a big problem. Less than unanimous awareness (or at least acknowledgement) about jail overcrowding. The foregoing doom prospects for a new 120 bed jail anytime in the foreseeable future.
6	Selected Question-by-Question Results
7	-- Right Direction or Wrong Track? “Overall, do you think that Otsego County is headed in the right direction, or, do you think that things are pretty seriously off on the wrong track?” Right direction 33% Wrong track 46% Undecided 21% c.f. State @ 76% and U.S. @ 74%
8	-- Rate the County on Service Delivery
9	-- Rate the County on Financial Management
10	-- Service Needing the Most Improvement . . . which specific county service needs the most improvement? Undecided 34% Roads/Comm. 24% Sheriff’s Dept. 8% Jail 6% Creating jobs 4% All others 3% or <
11	-- Perception of Tax Burden Thinking about the amount and quality of services you receive from the Co. in return for the property taxes and fees you pay are your taxes . . .
12	-- Perception of Crime as a Serious Problem
13	-- Is There an Overcrowding Problem?
14	-- What To Do About It? Build a New Jail 38% Enlarge Existing 13% Sentencing Judgment 8% Early Release 7% Send Elsewhere 7% Other Answers @ 2% or < Undecided 7%
15	-- Did You Vote? - How Did You Vote? 88% reported voting in August 69% went to polls 19% by AV ballot 11% Didn’t vote 1% Refused
16	-- Reasons for No Vote (No voters)
17	-- All Respondents – “Was the No Vote Because: The Plan, Tax Increase or Other Reason?”
18	-- Significance of Multiple Issues “How Big a Factor Was This?”
19	-- Replay of the August Vote c.f. Slide #15
20	-- Top Supporting Arguments There are early releases (28A) 73% Public safety diminished (29A) 70% Outstanding warrants (25A) 68% Makes an unsafe jail (26A) 67% Can’t segregate major/minor (24A) 65% Reduce the risk of escape (30A) 65% Built for 1967 population (20A) 65%
21	-- Replay of the August Vote After Supporting Arguments
22	-- Top Opposing Arguments Uncertain economy/layoffs -- bad time (36A) 87% State might increase taxes (39A) 77% Too extravagant (40A) 65% Expansion of current better (37A) 63% Rent space from others (38A) 60%
23	-- Replay of the August Vote After Opposing Arguments
24	80 Bed Alternative & Expansion Alternative No voters in the final “Vote” after supporting and opposing arguments were read a scaled back – 80 bed – alternative and asked how they would “vote” on that ballot question. No “voters” on the above question were asked how they would vote on a further scale back proposal to expand the existing facility.
25	-- Composite of “Votes”
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