Special Pull-Out Section
ESCAMBIA COUNTY VOTER SURVEY - QUALITY OF LIFE - 2011
Presented by
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2011 Quality of Life Survey Demographic Profile of Voters Surveyed
Fort McRee / photo courtesy of Visit Pensacola
BACKGROUND
The fourth annual Quality of Life Survey of Escambia County voters was cocommissioned by the Better Pensacola Forum and the Pensacola Young Professionals. The survey provides an objective measurement of the voting public’s awareness of and attitudes towards the many issues, challenges and opportunities that affect the quality of life in the county. Quint and Rishy Studer formed the Better Pensacola Forum in 2008 with former Florida House Majority Leader Jerry Maygarden as its executive director. Their goal was for the non-profit organization to pay for an annual survey and share the information with the public, business community, and public policy makers so that they would have objective, reliable information on how the public stands on issues impacting the area’s quality of life. The first Better Pensacola Forum board included Maygarden, Quint Studer, Carol Carlan, retired city president of Wachovia Bank, and John Hosman, first PYP president. In August 2008 interview with the IN, Maygarden expressed the group’s desire to conduct this survey on an annual basis and eventually create an unbiased scorecard on the quality of life of this community. This first survey created a baseline to measure future progress. “We want to help local policy makers to choose wisely,” says Maygarden. “We also want them to know that someone is going to set a new standard for accountability.” The nationally known Mason-Dixon Polling & Research in Washington, D.C.
Studer, “to continue to make this area a has conducted every survey. The methgreat place to live, learn and enjoy.” odology is simple. Every summer MasonPYP plans to use the data from the Dixon conducts a telephone survey and surveys as a basis for white papers and larger sample group, 800 registered Webisodes that will tackle key issues, Escambia County voters . featuring knowledgeable experts addressThose interviewed were selected raning the problems, solutions and efforts domly from the voter registration records. related to top voter concerns. The resulting sample fairly reflects the “The missions of both organizations demographic profile of voters in Escambia are in alignment,” said Rachael Gillette, County. PYP Director. The questions are essentially the “The Better Pensacola Forum is a same every year with one or two quesvery meaningful program. The Pensacola tions added or deleted. This year the Young Professionals wanted to make it participants were asked questions about happen.,” said Gillette, “Our team has the strong mayor and the BP oil spill been working hard and is already introrecovery–two issues that weren’t on the ducing some interesting changes that will radar screen in 2008. enhance the way the survey results are In March 2011, Better Pensacola delivered.” Forum formed an alliance with the Pensacola Young Professionals, which agreed to takeover the annual Quality of Life surveys and to more effectively utilize the survey results to promote positive change in the Pensacola community. “Quality of life is crucial to all current and future residents and visitors to the Pensacola area,” said Quint Studer, at the time of the announcement. “PYP is the perfect organization to oversee the yearly quality of life survey and provide research and solutions,” said photo courtesy of blueangels.navy.mil
RESIDENCE CITY OF PENSACOLA ESCAMBIA SUBURBS
20% 80%
LENGTH OF RESIDENCE LESS THAN 5 YEARS 5-9 YEARS 10-19 YEARS 20 OR MORE YEARS
8% 14% 21% 57%
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL SOME COLLEGE COLLEGE GRADUATE 24% GRADUATE DEGREE REFUSED
13% 0.1%
PARTY REGISTRATION DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN INDEPENDENT
39% 43% 18%
AGE 18-29 30-39 40-49 50-64 65+ REFUSED
16% 17% 17% 22% 28% 0.4%
32% 31%
HAVE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN? YES 27% NO 72% REFUSED 0.3% RACE WHITE BLACK HISPANIC OTHER REFUSED
75% 21% 3% 0.9% 0.5%
INCOME LESS THAN $25,000 $25,000-$39,999 $40,000-$74,999 $75,000 OR MORE REFUSED
20% 20% 25% 23% 13%
EMPLOYMENT FULL-TIME PART-TIME RETIRED HOMEMAKER STUDENT UNEMPLOYED OTHER REFUSED
42% 10% 24% 8% 5% 10% 0.4% 0.4%
SEX MALE FEMALE
47% 53% 11