TOO MANY POLITICIANS, TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK

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.

An overwhelming majority of residents (85%) believe that there are too many politicians representing the Haldimand-Norfolk region at both the municipal and regional levels. Indeed, three quarters (72%) believe there are too many Municipal Governments. Overlap and unnecessary duplication (76%) is seen to be the negative result of the multiple levels of government involved in the region. The majority of residents (52%) have heard of plans to reform municipal governments in Haldimand-Norfolk. More importantly, a similar proportion (54%) feels the restructuring is important enough to move on right away.

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

TOO MANY POLITICIANS AND TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT IN HALDIMAND-NORFOLK:
The Majority of Residents Believe there are Too Many Politicians (85%) and Too Much Government (72%)

An overwhelming majority (85%) of residents believes there are too many politicians at the municipal and regional levels in Haldimand-Norfolk. Three quarters of residents (72%) would go so far as to say there are too many Municipal Governments in the region.

• There is not any significant variation across demographic groups - across the board the majority (77%-92%) believe there are too many politicians in Haldimand-Norfolk.
• Women (16%) are twice as likely as men (8%) to feel that the political representation for the region is about right.

RESIDENTS REPORT UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION AND OVERLAP OF SERVICES:
Three quarters (76%) Believe the Municipalities Duplicate Services

Most Haldimand-Norfolk residents (76%) believe there is "a lot of unnecessary duplication and overlap in the services provided by the Municipal Governments". Indeed, only 18% disagree with this sentiment, while 6% had no opinion on the duplication of services.

• Residents in the highest income category (83%) are more likely than other income categories to think that there is an unnecessary duplication of services in the region ($30k and under, 77%; $30k-$60k, 71%).
• Those who own property (78%) are more likely than renters (64%) to point to unnecessary overlaps and duplication within Haldimand-Norfolk.
• Those between the ages of 18 and 34 (68%) are less likely than those over 34 (79%) to believe that there is unnecessary duplication and overlapping within the region.

THE MAJORITY ARE AWARE OF RESTRUCTURING AND FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MOVE ON RIGHT AWAY:
While the Majority (52%) are Aware of Plans to Reform Government, The Same Proportion (54%) Feel it is Important Enough to Start on Right Away

Fifty-two percent of the Haldimand-Norfolk residents say that they are aware of plans to reform Municipal Governments in the region. The same proportion (54%) agrees that "municipal restructuring in Haldimand-Norfolk is important and that the provincial government needs to move on it right away." On the other hand, two in every five respondents (41%) say "there are other issues that are more pressing and that the provincial government should leave the municipal structure of Haldimand-Norfolk as it is."

• Those in the middle age group (35-54, 50%) are more likely to want the provincial government to leave the municipal structure as is than other age groups (18-34, 40%; 55+, 33%).
• Men (60%) are more likely than women (48%) to want the Municipal Governments in the region to go ahead with restructuring right away.
• Those in the middle and highest income bracket (43%/45%) are more likely than those earning less than $30k (35%) to express a concern that there are other more important issues than restructuring.
• Renters of property in the Haldimand-Norfolk region are more likely than property owners (40%) to believe there are issues that are more important and that the municipal structure should be left as is.

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