PULSE POLL: CUMBERLAND, DAUPHIN & YORK COUNTIES

SEPTEMBER 13-14, 1998

1.) Do you think a high speed train service line should be developed linking Harrisburg with Philadelphia & Pittsburgh?

YES – 69%
NO – 15%
DON’T KNOW – 16%
REFUSED – 1%

2.) Do you think a light rail commuter line should be developed linking Carlisle, Harrisburg, Lancaster & York?

YES – 79%
NO – 11%
DON’T KNOW – 10%
REFUSED – 1%

3.) When you travel by air, would you be more likely to fly from Harrisburg International Airport, from Baltimore International Airport, or from the Philadelphia International Airport?

HARRISBURG (HIA) – 54%
BALTIMORE (BWI) – 28%
PHILADELPHIA – 1%
COMBINATION – 8%
OTHER – 2%
DON’T TRAVEL BY AIR – 7%
REFUSED – 1%

4.) Do you think the number of flights and destinations from Harrisburg International Airport should be increased?

YES – 63%
NO – 9%
DON’T KNOW – 27%
REFUSED – 1%

5.) Do you think last spring’s increase in gasoline taxes and driver license fees to help fund highway construction was justified?

YES – 52%
NO – 38%
DON’T KNOW – 10%

6.) Do you think school districts in Central Pennsylvania are currently the right size, should they be broken up, or consolidated?

ABOUT RIGHT SIZE – 49%
|BROKEN UP/SMALLER – 26%
CONSOLIDATED/MADE
COUNTYWIDE – 11%
DON’T KNOW – 14%
REFUSED – 1%

7.) Do you favor or oppose the concept of school choice which would give parents the right to send their children to public, private or parochial schools?

FAVOR – 59%
OPPOSE – 36%
DON’T KNOW – 4%
REFUSED – 1%

8.) Do you believe public schools should adopt a clear set of academic standards which must be met for students to advance from grade to grade?

YES – 92%
NO – 5%
DON’T KNOW – 4%

9.) Do you think the number of municipal governments should be reduced through mergers, or should they maintain their independence?

REDUCED THROUGH MERGERS – 28%
MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE – 64%
DON’T KNOW – 9%

10.) Do you think YOUR municipality, that is YOUR city, township or borough should merge with a surrounding municipality, or should it remain independent?

MERGE – 22%
REMAIN INDEPENDENT – 70%
DON’T KNOW – 8%
REFUSED – 1%

11.) Do you think your municipality is on the right track and doing a good job when it comes to meeting the needs of your community?

YES – 78%
NO – 17%
DON’T KNOW – 5%
REFUSED – 1%

12.) Do you feel more regional cooperation with other municipalities in your geographic area would be desirable?

YES – 67%
NO – 18%
DON’T KNOW – 15%
REFUSED – %

13.) Should municipal governments be required by the state to merge or consolidate, or should such decisions be made by local elected officials?

REQUIRED BY STATE – 7%
DECIDED LOCALLY – 81%
DON’T KNOW – 10%
REFUSED – 2%

14.) Do you think the power of LOCAL government over zoning decisions should be eliminated and placed in the hands of the COUNTY?

YES – 30%
NO – 59%
DON’T KNOW – 11%
REFUSED – 1%

15.) Do you think local governments should be eliminated and replaced with one countywide government?

YES – 13%
NO – 80%
DON’T KNOW – 7%

16.) Which level of government do you think operates most efficiently, the federal, state, county or local level of government?

FEDERAL – 5%
STATE – 21%
COUNTY – 9%
LOCAL – 44%
NONE – 10%
DON’T KNOW – 11%
REFUSED – 1%

17.) Should PA voters be given the right to vote by referendum on key public policy decisions to be made by their county, local government or school district?

YES – 80%
NO – 8%
DON’T KNOW – 10%
REFUSED – 1%

18.) Do you feel the property tax-based system currently utilized by local government in PA is fair and equitable to most segments of your community?

YES – 41%
NO – 50%
DON’T KNOW  – 8%
REFUSED – 1%

19.) If local property taxes had to be replaced with another tax, would you favor a local earned income tax, a local sales tax, or a combination?

INCOME TAX – 24%
SALES TAX – 12%
COMBINATION – 44%
DON’T KNOW – 17%
REFUSED – 4%

20.) Do you think sports stadiums should be paid for with public money or should they be financed privately?

PUBLIC MONEY – 5%
PRIVATELY FINANCED – 90%
DON’T KNOW – 4%
REFUSED – 1%

21.) Do you believe PA should sell state liquor stores to private enterprises to help finance the construction of sports stadiums?

YES – 24%
NO – 68%
DON’T KNOW – 8%

22.) Should there be a statewide referendum to allow voters to decide whether or not tax dollars will be spent to build new sports stadiums?

YES – 79%
NO – 18%
DON’T KNOW – 2%

23.) Do you, yourself, favor or oppose a “right to work” law for Pennsylvania?

FAVOR – 81%
OPPOSE – 14%
DON’T KNOW – 3%
REFUSED – 2%

24.) Do you agree or disagree with the arrangement that requires public employees to support a union in order to work for a government in PA?

AGREE – 18%
DISAGREE – 76%
DON’T KNOW – 4%
REFUSED – 2%

25.) Should unions be forbidden from deducting money from union workers pay without their permission, then use that money for political purposes?

YES – 72%
NO – 25%
DON’T KNOW – 2%
REFUSED – 1%

This survey was conducted September 13-14, 1998. A total of 311 registered voters in Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties were surveyed.