Melissa Ross
New data released by the USF-Nielsen Sunshine State Survey shows that most Floridians still feel stressed about their personal finances, see government waste and efficiency as a threat to the economy, and are concerned about job loss and undocumented workers.
“People don’t feel like their tax dollars are being spent efficiently,” USF professor Susan McManus said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters.
The telephone survey of 1,251 adults across the state found, not surprisingly, that the economy and jobs are voters’ top concern.
The majority of those surveyed support incentives to bring in companies and jobs to the state.
On Cuba: More than half of Floridians – 56 percent – favor freeing up diplomatic relations with the Communist island nation.
Casino gambling? “We see a very divided electorate,” said McManus, who points out that while 34 percent of residents think it’s OK to build Nevada-style casinos in Florida, 33 percent think they should be permitted only at Seminole Tribe facilities. Another 20 percent want no gambling at all.
A whopping 89 percent say the popular ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft should be required to carry liability insurance, and 68 percent say they should be licensed like traditional taxis.
“However, when you look further at the data on Uber and Lyft,” McManus said, “support for them grows much higher among groups that use the service.”
Floridians are almost evenly split on raising taxes, with 49 percent saying no, 47 percent saying they’d approve. McManus: “Particularly, they’re saying that’s if the revenue is tied to a specific kind of service. The biggest change since last year is more people want earmarked revenue sources tied to some function. This shift reflects less of an economic crisis driven environment.”
In order, the least preferred revenue sources are the communication services tax, property taxes, road tolls, and the gas tax – a data point lawmakers will be sure to note.
Even though those surveyed overall expressed the view that government spending is somewhat wasteful, the cognitive dissonance seems abundant, with 59 percent also saying their taxes are about right relative to quality of services at state and local levels.
“Floridians are still stressed economically, they are very much still looking somewhat judgmentally in a negative fashion towards state and local leadership. They’re hopeful for attention to be paid toward transportation and infrastructure. They want economic development paid toward existing industries and they like incentives for jobs. All in all, it means that once again on virtually every key issue at the moment, what we see reflected is the 71 percent of people who still say they feel economic stress in their own households,” explained McManus.
“So many still feel stress in their personal household finances. When people feel personal anxiety and are having to make tough choices, anything that involves any discussion of taxes or services by a government that involves more spending, people feel they are making pragmatic tough choices, and they see government as just the opposite, very wasteful.”
