2006 Fall Business Climate Survey Results
Fall 2006 Business Climate Survey
Total Respondents: 191
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 Percent |
|
| Better | 12.0% | 23 |
| Same | 52.9% | 101 |
| Worse | 34.0% | 65 |
| No Opinion | 1.0% | 2 |
| Total Respondents | 191 | |
| (skipped this question) | 0 |
2. LOOKING AHEAD SIX MONTHS, do you think business conditions will be better, the same, or worse than they are now?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Better | 15.2% | 29 |
| Same | 41.7% | 90 |
| Worse | 35.1% | 67 |
| No Opinion | 2.6% | 5 |
| Total Respondents | 191 | |
| (skipped this question) | 0 |
3. Are employment levels at your company higher, the same, or lower, than they were SIX MONTHS AGO?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Higher | 15.9% | 30 |
| Same | 66.1% | 125 |
| Lower | 16.9% | 32 |
| No Opinion | 1.1% | 2 |
| Total Respondents | 189 | |
| (skipped this question) | 2 |
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 Percent |
|
| Higher | 15.7% | 30 |
| Same | 69.6% | 133 |
| Lower | 12.6% | 24 |
| No Opinion | 2.1% | 4 |
| Total Respondents | 191 | |
| (skipped this question) | 0 |
5. Have your company’s sales increased, stayed relatively the same, or decreased during the PAST SIX MONTHS?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Increased | 34.4% | 65 |
| Same | 32.8% | 62 |
| Decreased | 30.7% | 58 |
| No Opinion | 2.1% | 4 |
| Total Respondents | 189 | |
| (skipped this question) | 2 |
6. Do you expect your company’s sales to increase, stay relatively the same, or decrease during the COMING SIX MONTHS?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Increase | 37.2% | 71 |
| Same | 40.3% | 77 |
| Decrease | 19.9% | 38 |
| No Opinion | 2.6% | 5 |
| Total Respondents | 191 | |
| (skipped this question) | 0 |
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 Percent |
|
| Did move some operations | 3.2% | 3 |
| Considered moving some operations | 7.9% | 15 |
| Considered moving all operations | 5.8% | 11 |
| Moved operations into Pennsylvania | 0% | 0 |
| Didn’t consider any moves | 83.2% | 158 |
| Total Respondents | 190 | |
| (skipped this question) | 1 |
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 Percent |
|
| May move all operations | 4.2% | 8 |
| May move some operations | 7.9% | 15 |
| Not considering any moves | 85.2% | 161 |
| May move operations INTO Pennsylvania | 2.6% | 5 |
| Total Respondents | 189 | |
| (skipped this question) | 2 |
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 Percent |
|
| President George W. Bush | 65% (122) | 28% (52) | 7% (13) | 187 |
| Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke | 41% (75) | 11% (21) | 48% (89) | 185 |
| U.S. Senator Arlen Specter | 26% (48) | 54% (100) | 20% (38) | 186 |
| U.S. Senator Rick Santorum | 70% (131) | 20% (38) | 10% (18) | 187 |
| Governor Ed Rendell | 19% (36) | 73% (135) | 8% (15) | 186 |
| State Treasurer Bob Casey, Jr. | 8% (15) | 64% (119) | 28% (51) | 185 |
| Attorney General Tom Corbett | 19% (35) | 7% (13) | 74% (137) | 185 |
| Auditor General Jack Wagner | 8% (14) | 5% (9) | 88% (161) | 184 |
| Total Respondents | 188 | |||
| (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 Percent |
|
| United States Senate | 21% (39) | 68% (27) | 12% (22) | 188 |
| United States House of Representatives | 29% (55) | 58% (109) | 13% (24) | 188 |
| Pennsylvania Senate | 19% (35) | 63% (119) | 10% (34) | 188 |
| Pennsylvania House of Representatives | 17% (32) | 63% (118) | 20% (37) | 187 |
| Total Respondents | 188 | |||
| (skipped this question) | 3 |
2. Section II: Issues
11. Would you describe recent state business tax cuts as being Very Signficant, Somewhat Significant, Somewhat Insignificant, or Totally Insignificant?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Very Significant | 4.4% | 8 |
| Somewhat Significant | 29.3% | 53 |
| Somewhat Insignificant | 35.4% | 64 |
| Very Insignificant | 26.0% | 47 |
| Refused/No Opinion | 5.0% | 9 |
| Total Respondents | 181 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
12. Would you describe the property tax reform measure passed recently by the General Assembly and signed into law by the governor to be Very Significant, Somewhat Significant, Somewhat Insignificant, Totally Insignificant?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Very Significant | 3.9% | 7 |
| Somewhat Significant | 20.6% | 37 |
| Somewhat Insignificant | 21.1% | 38 |
| Very Insignificant | 47.2% | 85 |
| Refused/No Opinion | 7.2% | 13 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 11 |
13. Will the recently approved state increase in the required minimum wage cause you to hire more, about the same number, or fewer employees?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| More | 0.0% | 0 |
| About the Same Number | 58.3% | 105 |
| Fewer | 28.3% | 51 |
| REFUSED/NO OPINION | 13.3% | 24 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 11 |
14. Do you think the General Assembly should continue or discontinue the practice of returning to session AFTER the November election to conduct business?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Return After The Election | 41.6% | 83 |
| Do Not Return After The Election | 21.1% | 38 |
| Makes No Difference | 25.0% | 45 |
| Refused/No Opinion | 7.8% | 14 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 11 |
15. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE that the state constitution should be amended to limit the annual increase in state spending to the rate of inflation plus population growth?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Strongly Agree | 38.7% | 70 |
| Somewhat Agree | 35.9% | 65 |
| Somewhat Disagree | 11.6% | 21 |
| Strongly Disagree | 6.6% | 12 |
| No Opinion/Refused | 7.2% | 12 |
| Total Respondents | 181 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
16. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE that the quality of potential employees available to you would be better if parents in Pennsylvania were given more educational choices for their children, such as more charter schools?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Strongly Agree | 38.2% | 68 |
| Somewhat Agree | 35.4% | 63 |
| Somewhat Disagree | 9.0% | 16 |
| Strongly Disagree | 9.0% | 16 |
| No Opinion/Refused | 8.4% | 15 |
| Total Respondents | 178 | |
| (skipped this question) | 13 |
17. Do you think Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges are in:
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Great Shape | 0.0% | 0 |
| Good Shape | 7.2% | 13 |
| OK Shape | 35.9% | 65 |
| Poor Shape | 39.2% | 71 |
| Awful Shape | 17.1% | 31 |
| REFUSED/DON’T KNOW | 0.6% | 1 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
18. special commission is recommending to the Governor and General Assembly that significant amounts of new revenue be dedicated to fund mass transit along with highway and bridge repair in Pennsylvania. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE that significiant new dollars need to be spent on the state’s transportation infrastrucutre.
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Strongly Agree | 27.1% | 49 |
| Somewhat Agree | 50.3% | 91 |
| Somewhat Disagree | 12.2% | 22 |
| Strongly Disagree | 9.9% | 18 |
| No opinion/refused | 0.6% | 1 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 11 |
19. The state’s major transit agencies (SEPTA and PAT) run annual deficits. To cover the deficits do you think they should be given additional tax revenue, cut service, or streamline their operations?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Be Given Additional Tax Revenue | 5.5% | 10 |
| Cut Service | 4.4% | 8 |
| Streamline Operations | 74.0% | 134 |
| All Of The Above | 13.3% | 24 |
| No Answere/Refused | 2.8% | 5 |
| Total Respondents | 181 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
20. How important do you think mass transit is to Pennsylvania’s economy?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Very Important | 24.3% | 44 |
| Somewhat Important | 50.8% | 92 |
| Somewhat Unimportant | 12.2% | 22 |
| Very Unimportant | 10.5% | 19 |
| No Opinion/Refused | 2.2% | 4 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 11 |
21. How important is it that we improve the quality of our roads and bridges in Pennsylvania?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Very Important | 51.9% | 94 |
| Somewhat Important | 42.0% | 76 |
| Somewhat Unimportant | 4.4% | 8 |
| Very Unimportant | 1.7% | 3 |
| No Opinion/Refused | 0% | 0 |
| Total Respondents | 181 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
22. If taxes are raised to provide additional funding to mass transit along with highway and bridge repairs, which taxes do you think should be increased?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Gasoline Taxes | 21.7% | 39 |
| Personal Income Taxes | 2.8% | 5 |
| Corporate Net Income Taxes | 1.1% | 2 |
| Sales Taxes | 13.9% | 25 |
| No Taxes Should Be Increased | 44.4% | 80 |
| DON’T KNOW/REFUSED | 4.4% | 8 |
| Other (View Responses) | 11.7% | 21 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
23. If the election for United States Senator from Pennsylvania were held today, would you vote for Republican Rick Santorum or Democrat Bob Casey, Jr.?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Rick Santorum | 79.8% | 142 |
| Bob Casey, Jr. | 12.2% | 22 |
| REFUSED/NO OPINION | 8.9% | 16 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 11 |
24. If the election for Governor of Pennsylvania were held today, would you vote for Democrat Ed Rendell or Republican Lynn Swann?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Ed Rendell | 16.0% | 29 |
| Lynn Swann | 72.4% | 131 |
| REFUSED/NO OPINION | 11.6% | 21 |
| Total Respondents | 181 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
25. General speaking, what do you think is the single most important problem/issue facing Pennsylvania today?
| Total Respondents (View Responses) |
141 |
| (skipped this question) | 50 |
26. In what part of Pennsylvania is your business located?
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Northwest PA | 8.3% | 15 |
| Southwest PA | 12.2% | 22 |
| Northcentral PA | 10.6% | 19 |
| Altoona/Johnstown | 11.1% | 20 |
| Southcentral/Harrisburg | 18.3% | 33 |
| Southeastern PA | 17.2% | 31 |
| Lehigh Valley | 2.2% | 4 |
| Northeastern PA | 20.0% | 36 |
| Total Respondents | 180 | |
| (skipped this question) | 11 |
27. Which category best describes your position at the business in which your work:
| Response Percent |
Response Percent |
|
| Owner | 74.0% | 134 |
| CEO/COO/CFO | 13.3% | 24 |
| State manager | 1.7% | 3 |
| Local Manager | 4.4% | 8 |
| DON’T KNOW/REFUSED | 2.8% | 5 |
| Other (View Responses) | 30.9% | 7 |
| Total Respondents | 181 | |
| (skipped this question) | 10 |
