HALF APPROVE OF OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF REGIONAL COUNCIL

RESIDENTS CHARGE COUNCIL WITH KEEPING TAXES DOWN AND ATTRACTING NEW INDUSTRY TO THE AREA

HALF APPROVE OF OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF REGIONAL COUNCIL

RESIDENTS CHARGE COUNCIL WITH KEEPING TAXES DOWN AND ATTRACTING NEW INDUSTRY TO THE AREA.

RESIDENTS FEEL THEIR REGIONAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT LISTEN, COMMUNICATE OR SPEND TAX MONEY WISELY

SIMCOE TIMES-REFORMER

This Angus Reid Group/Simcoe Times-Reformer poll was conducted by telephone between November 3rd, 4th and 5th, 1998 among 400 randomly selected Haldimand-Norfolk residents.

These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's age and sex composition reflects that of the actual Haldimand-Norfolk Region according to the 1996 Census data.

With a regional sample of 400, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are within + 4.9 percentage points of what they would have been had the entire Haldimand-Norfolk population been polled.

Half (50%) of Haldimand-Norfolk residents approve of the overall performance of their regional council. In fact, only one in five (22%) could name John Harrison as the chair of the council. Residents feel that most importantly the regional government should be responsible for attracting new industry to the area (41%) and keeping municipal taxes down (39%). However, the majority of respondents (58%) believe that the regional council does not "listen to citizens when making decisions". Seven in ten residents (71%) agree that the council does not provide adequate information to residents about how it makes decisions. To make matters worse, the majority of Haldimand-Norfolk residents (60%) don't believe that the Regional Council "does a good job at spending tax payers money wisely."

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

align="center">

LOW APPROVAL OF OVERALL PERFORMANCE FOR HALDIMAND-NORFOLK'S REGIONAL COUNCIL

Half (50%) Approve of Regional Council's Overall Performance

Even though only one in five (22%) can name John Harrison as the chair of the Regional Council of Haldimand Norfolk, overall approval of the Council's performance is low. Those who approve (50%) of the overall performance of the Council slightly outweigh those who disapprove (44%). However, residents are more than four times as likely to strongly disapprove (22%), rather than strongly approve (5%) of the council's performance.

  • Men (49%) are more likely than women (39%) to approve of the overall performance of the Regional Council of Haldimand-Norfolk.
  • Property owners (48%) are more likely to disapprove of the Regional Council's performance than are renters (25%).
  • Those residents over 55 years old (37%) are less likely than other age groups (18-34, 62%; 35-54, 51%) to approve of the Regional Council's performance.

NEW INDUSTRY AND KEEPING TAXES DOWN, MOST IMPORTANT ROLE FOR COUNCIL

Attracting New Industry (41%) and Keeping Municipal Taxes Down (39%) Seen as Most Important Task

The primary function of the Haldimand-Norfolk Regional Council is to attract new industry (41%) and keep municipal taxes down (39%) according to residents. Less than one in 10 chose "providing financial assistance to local small businesses" (8%), "facilitating the restructuring of local government" (7%), or "developing tourism in Haldimand-Norfolk" (4%). There is little variation across demographic groupings with respect to the most important functions of the Council.

REGIONAL COUNCIL RECEIVES FAILING GRADES FOR LISTENING, COMMUNICATING AND SPENDING TAXPAYERS MONEY WISELY

The Majority of Haldimand-Norfolk Residents Believes the Regional Council Does Not Listen (58%), Communicate Effectively (71%) or Spend Taxpayers Money Wisely (60%)

Three in five (58%) Haldimand-Norfolk residents do not believe the Regional Council "listens to citizens when making decisions." While seven in ten (71%) think that the Council does not "provide adequate information to residents about how it makes decisions." And, overall, most (60%) believe Haldimand-Norfolk's Regional Council does not do a good job of spending taxpayers money wisely.

  • Middle-aged residents (75%) of Haldimand-Norfolk are the most likely to feel that their Regional Council does not provide adequate information regarding its decisions - compared to those 18 to 34, 66% and those 55 and over, 71%.
  • Those over 55 years of age (30%) are the less likely to agree that the Regional Council does a good job of spending taxpayers money than other age groups (18-34, 41%; 35-54, 38%).
  • Residents who are in the lower income bracket (under $30k - 30%) are less likely to think their tax dollars are spent wisely than other income groups (middle, 41%; high, 36%).
  • Property owners (35%) are less likely than those who rent (43%) to feel that their taxes are used wisely by the Haldimand-Norfolk Regional Council.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Dr. Darrell Bricker
Executive Vice-President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900
John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900

Related news