January 10, 2005

Boise State Survey Shows Positive Outlook For State
More Idahoans than ever approve of direction state is headed; divided on the future of the one-cent sales tax

An annual public policy survey conducted by the Social Science Research Center at Boise State University shows that overall, residents are fairly happy with state affairs. Seventy percent of respondents said the state is headed in the right direction, up a full 7 percent from last year. This is the third year in a row that the satisfaction rate has increased. The Social Science Research Center, housed in the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs, administered the 16th 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 the Idaho Legislature, state agency personnel and the public at large. There were 531 respondents to this year’s survey, representing Idahoans at the state and regional levels. The survey has an error rate of plus or minus 4.3 percent statewide. As in the past, many of this year’s questions had to do with taxes. When asked about the state sales tax, 64 percent say Idaho’s rate is about right. But Idahoans are split on whether or not to extend the 1 percent sales tax increase beyond the July 1, 2005, sunset date; 43 percent support extending it or making it permanent while 45 percent want it to expire. On the subject of which tax is the least fair, local property taxes once again topped the list. The most common reason given, 46 percent of respondents said that property taxes are too high. And 55 percent support efforts to grant cities and counties local option taxes. As in past years, education was cited as one of the most important issues facing the state. When asked how student test scores should affect teacher’s pay, almost 57 percent believe they should be used little or not at all as a determining factor. And a whopping 80 percent feel school districts should rely on state funding when constructing or remodeling school buildings. Idahoans once again proved to be largely Republican, and at a higher percentage than in past years. Slightly more than 47 percent identified themselves as Republicans, up from last year’s 41 percent, compared to 18 percent who claimed to be Democrats, down from last year’s 21 percent. An interesting side note is that despite generally low national voter turnout, 82 percent of Idahoans said they had voted in an election during the past two years. On the social issues front, Idahoans’ libertarian values were reflected in the 61 percent who felt that protecting Constitutional rights should be favored over fighting terrorism. And 59 percent of respondents thought that women should have the right to choose to have an abortion. James Weatherby, director of the Social Science Research Center, led the study, which includes regional and trend analyses, as well as a wide range of topics such as water issues and the state’s right-to-work law. To receive a copy of the survey highlights, call Mike Louis at (208) 426-1463 or download the report from the SSRC Web site: http://sspa.boisestate.edu/ssrc.  -30- Contacts: James Weatherby, director, Social Science Research Center, (208) 426-4018; Mike Louis, Social Science Research Center, (208) 426-1463 Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, University Relations, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu Online at: http://news.boisestate.edu.