SW PA: REGIONAL RENAISSANCE TAX & EDUCATION ISSUES
1.) You will be asked to vote for a sales tax increase to fund new sports stadiums and other facilities. Are you aware of the proposed tax increase?
96% YES
4% NO
1% DON’T KNOW
2.) If the election were held today, would you vote yes or no to raise the state sales tax to help pay for sports stadiums and other facilities?
22% YES
64% NO
14% DON’T KNOW
1% REFUSED
3.) Do you favor or oppose a permanent regional authority with a non-elected Board of Directors to control the tax revenue which is collected?
28% FAVOR
45% OPPOSE
27% DON’T KNOW
4.) If the sales tax increase is approved, do you believe the increase will be temporary, as is proposed, or do you think it will become permanent?
14% TEMPORARY
82% PERMANENT
4% DON’T KNOW
5.) Do you believe Pennsylvania should sell state liquor stores to private enterprise to help finance the construction of sports stadiums?
37% YES
52% NO
10% DON’T KNOW
6.) Do you think the Pirates baseball team will leave Pittsburgh if a new baseball only stadium is not built?
31% YES
43% NO
26% DON’T KNOW
1% REFUSED
7.) Do you think the Steelers football team will leave Pittsburgh if a new stadium is not built to replace Three Rivers Stadium?
15% YES
67% NO
16% DON’T KNOW
2% REFUSED
8.) Generally speaking, do you think sports stadiums should be paid for with public money or should they be financed privately?
9% PUBLIC
79% PRIVATE
11% DON’T KNOW
9.) Would you vote yes or no to approve the Homestead Amendment, which would allow business and residential properties to be taxes at different rates?
43% YES
24% NO
33% DON’T KNOW
10.) Do you think the property tax system currently utilized by school districts and local municipalities is fair to most segments of your community?
32% YES
58% NO
10% DON’T KNOW
11.) Would you favor or oppose replacing property taxes with a local earned income tax?
47% FAVOR
29% OPPOSE
24% DON’T KNOW
12.) Would you favor or oppose replacing property taxes with a local sales tax?
34% FAVOR
48% OPPOSE
18% DON’T KNOW
13.) If local property taxes had to be replaced by another tax, would you favor a local earned income tax or a local sales tax?
37% INCOME
39% SALES
4% COMBINATION
18% DON’T KNOW
2% REFUSED
14.) Do you think state government should pay a greater share of public education costs?
70% YES
22% NO
8% DON’T KNOW
15.) Do you believe teachers salaries are too high, about right or low?
43% TOO HIGH
43% ABOUT RIGHT
8% TOO LOW
16.) Do you think too much, about the right amount or not enough money is presently being spent on public education in Pennsylvania today?
14% TOO MUCH
28% ABOUT RIGHT
44% NOT ENOUGH
14% DON’T KNOW
17.) Do you favor or oppose requiring non-profit charitable organizations to pay property taxes?
39% FAVOR
54% OPPOSE
7% DON’T KNOW
18.) Do you favor/oppose the concept of school choice which would give parents the right to send their children to the public school of their choice?
65% FAVOR
29% OPPOSE
6% DON’T KNOW
19.) Do you favor/oppose a school choice plan that would allow parents to send their children to the public or PRIVATE school of their choice?
64% FAVOR
31% OPPOSE
6% DON’T KNOW
20.) Would you favor/oppose a school choice plan which would allow children to go to the public, private or RELIGIOUS PAROCHIAL school or their choice?
69% FAVOR
27% OPPOSE
5% DON’T KNOW
21.) Do you believe public schools should adopt a clear set of standards which must be met for students to advance from grade to grade?
88% YES
8% NO
4% DON’T KNOW
22.) Do you think a clear set of academic standards would improve educational performance?
86% YES
8% NO
6% DON’T KNOW
The Lincoln Institute’s survey of voter attitudes in southwestern Pennsylvania was conducted October 15 and 16, 1997 by Precision Market, Inc. of Easton, Pennsylvania. A total of 226 voters were surveyed in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
