2009 Pennsylvania Township Supervisor Survey: Response Summary

Total Started Survey: 185
Total Completed Survey: 174 (94.1%)

General

1. What is the range of your township’s fiscal year 2008 general fund budget?

	answered question	182
	skipped question	3
	Response Percent	Response Count
Less than $100,000	4.4%	8
$101,000 to $250,000	8.8%	16
$251,000 to $500,000	17.6%	32
$501,000 – $1 million	23.6%	43
$1 to $5 million	38.5%	70
$5 to $10 million	4.4%	8
$10 million to $15 million	1.6%	3
Over $15 million	1.1%	2

2. During your tenure in office has your township budget increased, decreased, or stayed about the same?

	answered question	182
	skipped question	3
	Response Percent	Response Count
Increased	69.8%	127
Decreased	4.9%	9
Stayed About the Same	25.3%	46

3. During your tenure in office, have your township’s tax rates increased, decreated or stayed about the same?

	answered question	183
	skipped question	2
	Response Percent	Response Count
Increased	42.1%	77
Decreased	7.7%	14
Stayed About the Same	50.3%	92

4. If the General Assembly were to enact legislation to enable townships to implement or raise other taxes to lower property taxes, which tax would be your preferred tax to impose or raise?

	answered question	182
	skipped question	3
	Response Percent	Response Count
Earned Income Tax	47.3%	86
Sales Tax	36.3%	66
Mercantile Tax	4.4%	8
Business Privilege Tax	5.5%	10
View *	6.6%	12

5. What percentage of your township’s revenue is generated from property taxes?

	answered question	181
	skipped question	4
	Response Percent	Response Count
Under 50%	75.1%	136
51%-60%	11.6%	21
61%-70%	4.4%	8
71%-80%	2.8%	5
81-90%	5.5%	10
91%-100%	0.6%	1

6. How long have you served as a township official?

	answered question	180
	skipped question	5
	Response Percent	Response Count
Less than 6 years	33.3%	60
6-12 years	23.3%	42
More than 12 years	43.3%	78

7. To what political party do you belong?

	answered question	175
	skipped question	10
	Response Percent	Response Count
Republican	66.9%	117
Democrat	29.1%	51
Other/Independent	4.0%	7

8. What is the range of your earnings as an elected township official?

	answered question	160
	skipped question	25
	Response Percent	Response Count
Less than $2,000	55.0%	88
$2,000 to $2,999	18.1%	29
$3,000 to $3,999	5.6%	9
$4,000 to $4,999	1.9%	3
$5,000 or more	19.4%	31

9. What is the population of your township?

	answered question	181
	skipped question	4
	Response Percent	Response Count
Less than 2,000	26.5%	48
2,000 to 5,000	42.0%	76
5,000 to 10,000	17.1%	31
10,000 to 15,000	13.3%	24
15,000 to 25,000	1.1%	2
25,000 to 35,000		0.0%	0
35,000 to 50,000		0.0%	0
Over 50,000		0.0%	0

10. Estimate the square miles of your township?

	answered question	165
	skipped question	20
	Response Count	165
View *

11. How would you best describe your township?

	answered question	182
	skipped question	3
	Response Percent	Response Count
Predominantly Rural	61.5%	112
Predominantly Residential	14.8%	27
Predominantly Commercial	1.6%	3
Balanced Mix of Rural/Residential/Commercial	22.0%	40

Policy

1. Do you think Pennsylvania has too many municipalities?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	17.4%	30
No	72.1%	124
No Opinion	10.5%	18

2. Do you think the number of townships in Pennsylvania should be reduced?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	14.0%	24
No	76.7%	132
No Opinion	9.3%	16

3. Would you be willing to merge your municipality with a neighboring municipality?

	answered question	171
	skipped question	14
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	29.8%	51
No	60.8%	104
No Opinion	9.4%	16

4. Would you be willing to merge your municipality with a neighboring municipality if such a merger resulted in higher taxes?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	2.9%	5
No	90.8%	157
No Opinion	6.4%	11

5. Do you think municipal mergers should be mandated at the state level, or should merge decisions require voter approval in the affected municipalities?

	answered question	171
	skipped question	14
	Response Percent	Response Count
State Mandate	2.9%	5
Voter Approval	90.1%	154
View Other	7.0%	12

6. In your opinion, why are cities in Pennsylvania losing population while townships are gaining population? (You may select more than one answer.)

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Crime	79.8%	138
High Taxes	72.3%	125
Poor Schools	60.7%	105
Traffic/Congestion	69.4%	120
Don’t Like Urban Lifestyle	45.1%	78
Municipal Services	27.7%	48
View Other	12.1%	21

7. Do you favor increased state or county taxes to provide additional revenue to cities that are losing population?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	3.5%	6
No	89.0%	154
No Opinion	7.5%	13

8. In your opinion, how important is the school system when people are deciding where to live?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Very Important	74.0%	128
Somewhat Important	25.4%	44
Somewhat Unimportant		0.0%	0
Very Unimportant	0.6%	1

9. Do you favor the current system smaller school districts; or would you favor larger school districtsorganized at the county level?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Smaller Districts	64.7%	112
Countywide School Districts	25.4%	44
No Opinion	9.8%	17

10. Do you think local taxes should continue to be collected by municipal tax collectors, be collected at the county level or be collected by a private firm?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Local Tax Collectors	72.8%	126
County Level	16.8%	29
Private Firm	5.8%	10
View *	4.6%	8

11. Should distressed municipalities be mandated by the state to merge with another municipality?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	19.1%	33
No	61.8%	107
No Opinion	19.1%	33

12. Should county government take control of a distressed municipality?

	answered question	171
	skipped question	14
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	18.7%	32
No	66.1%	113
No Opinion	15.2%	26

13. Do you favor increasing county property taxes to pay for the cost of rescuing a distressed municipality?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	5.2%	9
No	91.3%	157
No Opinion	3.5%	6

14. Should services such as fire or police be regionalized?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	53.5%	92
No	36.0%	62
No Opinion	10.5%	18

15. How does your township provide for police services:

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Have Own Department	39.9%	69
Participate in Regional Force	4.0%	7
State Police	56.1%	97

16. If your township relies on state police for police services, what would you do if the state imposes a per capita fee for those townships without municipal police service?

	answered question	118
	skipped question	67
	Response Percent	Response Count
Form Own Department	5.1%	6
Join Regional Police	30.5%	36
Pay the Fee	64.4%	76

17. Do you think the regionalization or services and/or the consolidation of municipalities via merger will result in cost efficiencies and lower taxes?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	22.1%	38
No	67.4%	116
No Opinion	10.5%	18

18. Has your township had to reduce services in order to keep on budget and avoid raising taxes?

	answered question	171
	skipped question	14
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	25.7%	44
No	74.3%	127
Don’t Know		0.0%	0

19. Does your township have a "rainy day" or contingency fund?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	67.6%	117
No	31.2%	54
Don’t Know	1.2%	2

20. What is the biggest problem facing your township?

	answered question	167
	skipped question	18
	Response Percent	Response Count
Low Commercial Tax Base	20.4%	34
Aging Infrastructure	9.6%	16
Affordable Housing	5.4%	9
Lack of Medical Facilities	1.2%	2
Emergency Medical Services	1.2%	2
Sprawl	7.8%	13
Roadway Conditions/Traffic Problems	33.5%	56
Trash Collection/Disposal	0.6%	1
Law Enforcement/Police Protection	3.6%	6
Lack of Parks/Recreational Activities	1.2%	2
Concentrated Animal Feeding (CAFOs)	0.0%	0
View *	15.6%	26

21. Is open space preservation a high priority in your township?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	51.2%	88
No	40.7%	70
No Opinion	8.1%	14

22. During your tenure how would you describe business growth in your township?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Significant Decline	1.7%	3
Some Decline	7.0%	12
No Change	39.5%	68
Some Growth	39.5%	68
Significant Growth	12.2%	21

23. If your township experienced residential, commercial or industrical growth during your tenure in office what would you say is the biggest problem associated with that growth?

	answered question	143
	skipped question	42
	Response Percent	Response Count
Traffic	42.7%	61
Crime	3.5%	5
Flooding/Run-Off	14.0%	20
Sewage	21.7%	31
Trash Collection/Disposal	0.7%	1
View *	17.5%	25

24. If bringing new business to your township is a high priority, what type of business would you like to see developed?

	answered question	153
	skipped question	32
	Response Percent	Response Count
Manufacturing	35.9%	55
Retail	13.7%	21
Tourism	7.2%	11
Office	9.8%	15
Service/Technology	24.8%	38
View *	8.5%	13

25. Does your township have any inter-municipal agreements or inter-municipal authorities?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	85.5%	147
No	14.5%	25

26. If your township does have inter-municipal agreements, how would your rate their effectiveness?

	answered question	148
	skipped question	37
	Response Percent	Response Count
Very Effective	58.8%	87
Somewhat Effective	37.2%	55
Not Very Effective	4.1%	6
Very Ineffective		0.0%	0

27. Do you favor having your township enter into inter-municipal agreements?

	answered question	168
	skipped question	17
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	89.3%	150
No	10.7%	18

28. If you favor inter-municipal agreements for your township, which type do you think would be most beneficial?

	answered question	160
	skipped question	25
	Response Percent	Response Count
Police	20.0%	32
Sewer	17.5%	28
Planning & Zoning	18.1%	29
Highway	14.4%	23
Purchasing	20.6%	33
View *	9.4%	15

29. Does your township have a comprehensive plan?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	84.3%	145
No	15.7%	27

30. If YES, how old is your comprehensive plan?

	answered question	146
	skipped question	39
	Response Percent	Response Count
0 – 5 Years	53.4%	78
5-10 Years	22.6%	33
Over 10 Years	24.0%	35

31. Do you believe your township’s zoning ordinances are adequate and up-to-date?

	answered question	156
	skipped question	29
	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	73.7%	115
No	26.3%	41

32. What percentage of your township’s land mass would you estimate is developed, either residential or commercial?

	answered question	172
	skipped question	13
	Response Percent	Response Count
0-20%	30.2%	52
20% – 40%	42.4%	73
40% – 60%	19.2%	33
Over 60%	8.1%	14

33. Do you favor or oppose county government taking control of land use, planning and zoning in your township?

	answered question	173
	skipped question	12
	Response Percent	Response Count
Strongly Favor	4.6%	8
Somewhat Favor	12.7%	22
Somewhat Oppose	13.3%	23
Strongly Oppose	69.4%	120

34. Please provide us with any additional comments your would care to make on these or any other issues affecting township government in Pennsylvania/

	answered question	53
	skipped question	132
	Response Count
View *	53

* Please view the other responses at [L]https://www.lincolninstitute.org/archives/surveys/2009TwpSup.php[EL]