News Release

CENTER NEWS/January 11, 2008

Annual Boise State Survey Shows Idaho Residents are Comfortable with the State's General Direction

Almost two-thirds of Idahoans believe the state is headed in the right direction, according to the annual public policy survey conducted by the Social Science Research Center at Boise State University. The same survey revealed that 80 percent of state residents identify their ideology as lying somewhere between moderate and middle-of-the-road. At the same time, 25 percent of Idahoans identified themselves as Democrats, compared to only 18 percent last year.

The Social Science Research Center, a division of the Public Policy Center housed in the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs, administered the 19th annual Idaho Public Policy Survey in an attempt to identify issues of public policy concern among Idaho citizens. The yearly report is a significant source of information on public policy concerns for Idaho policymakers, state agency personnel and the public at large. There were 518 randomly selected respondents to this year’s survey, representing Idahoans at the state and regional levels. The survey has an error rate of plus or minus 5 percent statewide.

Once again, education was chosen as the top priority for most of the state’s residents. Twenty-one percent of those polled listed it as their top concern, although combining economy with jobs and wages put this category at the top with 22 percent (11 percent each). Rounding out the top five were growth and the environment, at 14 and 10 percent respectively.

On the subject of eliminating the sales tax on groceries, 69 percent were in favor. In fact, 49 percent said they strongly supported the idea. On the flip side, only 20 percent either somewhat or strongly opposed the measure. And 58 percent of those polled said they supported a proposal to grant cities and counties local option tax authority, subject to voter approval.

Fifty-two percent of respondents favored designating more Idaho land as wilderness, and almost three-fourths said those who live in the wilderness/urban interface should be required to carry fire insurance.

In an interesting twist, 45 percent of those polled said they would support construction of a nuclear energy power plan in their county if it generated power for the state of Idaho, but 70 percent objected to the construction of a nuclear energy power plant in order to provide energy for sale to other states.

When asked if they thought the Legislature should meet part-time (either every year or every other year) or full-time and year round, the majority (47 percent) most supported the current yearly, part-time schedule.

The 2008 study includes regional and trend analyses, as well as a wide range of topics. To receive a copy of the survey highlights, contact Carole Nemnich at (208) 426-1835 or carolenemnich@boisestate.edu.  Highlights of the report are also available for download from the Social Science Research Center Web site at http://ppa.boisestate.edu/ssrc.

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Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, University Communications, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu

Boise State University is emerging as a metropolitan research university of distinction. This transformation is being powered by the university’s first comprehensive campaign to support students, faculty, strategic initiatives, research and infrastructure. That’s why the campaign to raise $175 million in private support is called Destination Distinction.
 

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Last reviewed on Friday, January 18, 2008