2007 Spring Business Climate Survey Results

Columnist : Lincoln Institute

Total Respondants: 155

Section I: Business Climate

1. In general, do you think business conditions in Pennsylvania are better, the same, or worse than they were SIX MONTHS AGO?

Response Percent Response Total
Better 9.2% 14
Same 42.1% 64
Worse 48.7% 74
No Opinion 0% 0
Total Respondents 152
(skipped this question) 3

2. LOOKING AHEAD SIX MONTHS, do you think business conditions will be better, the same, or worse than they are now?

Response Percent Response Total
Better 14.5% 22
Same 43.4% 66
Worse 41.4% 63
No Opinion 0.7% 1
Total Respondents 152
(skipped this question) 3

3. Are employment levels at your company higher, the same, or lower, than they were SIX MONTHS AGO?

Response Percent Response Total
Higher 15.2% 23
Same 58.9% 89
Lower 23.8% 36
No Opinion 2% 3
Total Respondents 151
(skipped this question) 4

4. LOOKING AHEAD SIX MONTHS, do you anticipate that employment levels at your company will be higher, stay the same, or be lower?

Response Percent Response Total
Higher 17.1% 26
Same 71.7% 109
Lower 8.6% 13
No Opinion 2.6% 4
Total Respondents 152
(skipped this question) 3

5. Have your company’s sales increased, stayed relatively the same, or decreased during the PAST SIX MONTHS?

Response Percent Response Total
Increased 30.3% 46
Same 35.5% 54
Decreased 30.9% 47
No Opinion 3.3% 5
Total Respondents 152
(skipped this question) 3

6. Do you expect your company’s sales to increase, stay relatively the same, or decrease during the COMING SIX MONTHS?

Response Percent Response Total
Increase 40.1% 61
Same 40.1% 61
Decrease 15.1% 23
No Opinion 4.6% 7
Total Respondents 152
(skipped this question) 3

7. At any point in the PAST SIX MONTHS has your company considered moving all or part of its Pennsylvania operations to another state?

Response Percent Response Total
Did move some operations 1.3% 2
Considered moving some operations 7.3% 11
Considered moving all operations 8% 12
Moved operations into Pennsylvania 0% 0
Didn’t consider any moves 83.3% 125
Total Respondents 150
(skipped this question) 5

8. Do you foresee at any point in the COMING SIX MONTHS your company considering moving all or part of its Pennsylvania operations to another state?

Response Percent Response Total
May move all operations 3.4% 5
May move some operations 12.2% 18
Not considering any moves 83.8% 124
May move operations INTO Pennsylvania 0.7% 1
Total Respondents 148
(skipped this question) 7

9. In general, do you have a POSITIVE, NEGATIVE or NO OPINION of the job performance of the following individuals?

Positive Negative No Opinion Response Total
President George W. Bush 47% (71) 39% (59) 14% (21) 151
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke 47% (71) 10% (15) 43% (65) 151
U.S. Senator Arlen Specter 26% (39) 59% (90) 15% (23) 152
U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. 10% (15) 47% (71) 43% (64) 150
Governor Ed Rendell 17% (26) 78% (118) 5% (8) 152
Attorney General Tom Corbett 21% (32) 14% (21) 65% (98) 151
Auditor General Jack Wagner 10% (15) 12% (18) 78% (117) 150
Total Respondents 152
(skipped this question) 3

10. In general, do you have a POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or NO OPINION of the job performance of the following institutions?

Positive Negative No Opinion Response Total
United States Senate 16% (24) 77% (115) 7% (11) 150
United States House of Representatives 9% (14) 85% (127) 6% (9) 150
Pennsylvania Senate 18% (27) 67% (101) 15% (22) 150
Pennsylvania House of Representatives 11% (17) 73% (109) 15% (23) 149
Total Respondents 150
(skipped this question) 5

2. Section II: Issues

11. Generally speaking, do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE Governor Ed Rendell’s proposed 2007-2008 state budget?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY SUPPORT 2.8% 4
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT 8.3% 12
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 18.8% 27
STRONGLY OPPOSE 61.1% 88
REFUSED/NO OPINION 9% 13
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

12. Do you FAVOR or OPPOSE an increase in the state sales tax from 6% to 7% with about a third of the new revenue dedicated to funding property tax relief and the balance being added to the general fund?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY FAVOR 7.6% 11
SOMEWHAT FAVOR 9.7% 14
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 12.5% 18
STRONGLY OPPOSE 68.1% 98
REFUSED/NO OPINION 2.1% 3
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

13. Governor Ed Rendell has proposed a “Prescription for Pennsylvania” which would significantly change the manner in which health care is paid for in the commonwealth. Are you familar with details of the Governor’s proposals?

Response Percent Response Total
VERY FAMILAR 13.9% 20
SOMEWHAT FAMILAR 46.5% 67
SOMEWHAT UNFAMILAR 13.9% 20
VERY UNFAMILAR 24.3% 35
REFUSED/NO OPINION 1.4% 2
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

14. Given your current level of knowledge of the Governor’s “Prescription for Pennsylvania” proposals, do you FAVOR or OPPOSE the initiative?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY FAVOR 1.4% 2
SOMEWHAT FAVOR 9% 13
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 20.1% 29
STRONGLY OPPOSE 50.7% 73
REFUSED/NO OPINION 18.8% 27
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

15. Would you support the Governor’s “Prescription for Pennsylvania” if you knew it contained significant new taxes on business to help pay the costs of providing health care to uninsured Pennsylvanians?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY SUPPORT 1.4% 2
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT 3.5% 5
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 11.1% 16
STRONGLY OPPOSE 79.9% 115
REFUSED/NO OPINION 4.2% 6
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

16. Governor Ed Rendell is proposing to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to private enterprise as a way of avoiding a significant increase in gasoline taxes. Do you support such privatization, or would you prefer to keep the Turnpike under government control and fund road and bridge repair through higher gasoline taxes?

Response Percent Response Total
PRIVATIZE THE TURNPIKE 49.7% 71
RAISE GASOLINE TAXES 21.7% 31
REFUSED/NO OPINION 28.7% 41
Total Respondents 143
(skipped this question) 12

17. A select “Speaker’s Commission on Reform” is considering changes to the rules governing the internal operations of the State House of Representatives. Do you expect to see significant reform as a result of this commission’s work?

Response Percent Response Total
SIGNIFICANT REFORM 3.5% 5
MODEST REFORM 30.6% 44
NO REFORM 55.6% 80
REFUSED/NO OPINION 10.4% 15
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

18. Do you FAVOR or OPPOSE the calling of a state constitutional convention to bring about reform of the manner in which the Pennsylvania General Assembly operates?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY FAVOR 38.9% 56
SOMEWHAT FAVOR 31.2% 45
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 5.6% 8
STRONGLY OPPOSE 6.2% 9
REFUSED/NO ANSWER 18.1% 26
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

19. Generally speaking, do you have a POSITVE or NEGATIVE view of the leadership changes that have occurred in the state HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY POSITIVE 0.7% 1
SOMEWHAT POSITIVE 25% 36
SOMEWHAT NEGATIVE 35.4% 51
STRONGLY NEGATIVE 20.1% 29
REFUSED/NO OPINION 18.8% 27
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

20. Generally speaking, do you have a POSITIVE or NEGATIVE view of the leadership changes that have occurred in the SENATE of Pennsylvania?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY POSITIVE 2.1% 3
SOMEWHAT POSITIVE 25.9% 37
SOMEWHAT NEGATIVE 34.3% 49
STRONGLY NEGATIVE 16.8% 24
REFUSED/NO ANSWER 21% 30
Total Respondents 143
(skipped this question) 12

21. Do you APPROVE or DISAPPROVE of the decision to allow slot machine gambling to be legalized in Pennsylvania?

Response Percent Response Total
STRONGLY APPROVE 16% 23
SOMEWHAT APPROVE 22.9% 33
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE 18.1% 26
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE 38.9% 56
REFUSED/ NO OPINION 4.2% 6
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

22. Do you expect to see your property taxes (either personal or business) totally elimated, reduced considerably, somewhat reduced, or not reduced at all as a result of gambling having been legalized in Pennsylvania?

Response Percent Response Total
TOTALLY ELIMINATED 0.7% 1
REDUCED CONSIDERABLY 3.5% 5
SOMEWHAT REDUCED 16% 23
NOT REDUCED AT ALL 74.3% 107
REFUSED/NO ANSWER 1.4% 2
Other (please specify) (view) 4.2% 6
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

23. Now that slot machine gambling has been legalized in Pennsylvania, do you expect to see an increase in crime and social problems as a result of more convenient gambling?

Response Percent Response Total
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE 26.4% 38
SOMEWHAT OF AN INCREASE 53.5% 77
SOMEWHAT OF A DECREASE 2.1% 3
SIGNIFICANT DECREASE 1.4% 2
NO OPINION/REFUSED 16.7% 24
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

24. Now that slot machine gambling has been legalized in Pennsylvania, would you say that the potential economic benefits will outweigh the potential increase in crime and social problems, or will the problems outweigh the benefits?

Response Percent Response Total
BENEFITS OUTWEIGH PROBLEMS 29.9% 43
PROBLEMS OUTWEIGH BENEFITS 62.5% 90
REFUSED/NO ANSWER 7.6% 11
Total Respondents 144
(skipped this question) 11

25. As a result of the recent increase in the minimum wage in Pennsylvania, have you had to take any specific cost cutting action(s) such as: (Check all that are applicable)

Response Percent Response Total
LAY-OFF EMPLOYEES 2.2% 3
CUT HOURS OF OPERATION 5.1% 7
CANCEL OR POSTPONE EXPANSION PLANS 10.9% 15
NOT HIRE NEW EMPLOYEES 24.6% 34
NOT HIRE TEENS OR INEXPERIENCED WORKERS 26.8% 37
NO ANSWER/REFUSED 37% 51
Other (please specify) (view) 25.4% 35
Total Respondents 138
(skipped this question) 17

26. If the election for President of the United States were held today, for whom would you vote?

Total Respondents (view) 117
(skipped this question) 38

27. In what part of Pennsylvania is your business located?

Response Percent Response Total
Northwest PA 9% 13
Southwest PA 17.2% 25
Northcentral PA 9% 13
Altoona/Johnstown 4.8% 7
Southcentral/Harrisburg 20% 29
Southeastern PA 21.4% 31
Lehigh Valley 4.1% 6
Northeastern PA 14.5% 21
Total Respondents 145
(skipped this question) 10

28. Which category best describes your position at the business in which your work:

Response Percent Response Total
OWNER 75.9% 110
CEO/COO/CFO 15.2% 22
STATE MANAGER 3.4% 5
LOCAL MANAGER 2.1% 3
REFUSED/NO OPINION 0.7% 1
Other (please specify) (view) 2.8% 4
Total Respondents 145
(skipped this question) 10