2007 Spring Business Climate Survey Results
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 | |
