Opinions of Idahoans revealed in survey

By: 
Steve Lyon
Boise State University just released
its fifth annual public
opinion research survey.
The results include responses from
1,000 randomly selected residents of
Idaho. The survey polled residents in 43
of the state’s 44 counties.
The methodology used
by the social scientists incorporated
technology in an
effort to sample the population
geographically and demographically.
They called
it a mixed-mode survey.
Of the 1,000 adults
polled, 33 percent were contacted
by landline telephone.
Another 33 percent were
contacted by cellphone, 33
percent were polled online
and 5 percent responded
by text. No oldtimers out in
Arco were contacted by telegraph.
The survey asked the big questions
about taxes and growth and education.
It also polled residents on niche topics
such as salmon recovery, texting while
driving and ballot initiatives.
Some survey results struck me as
vague – the “just about right” or “unsure”
responses. One question asked
residents if they thought things in Idaho
are generally headed in the right direction.
The fence-sitters out there (14.2
percent) said they were unsure.
The majority of respondents (55.6
percent) said things were headed in
the right direction. But what does that
mean, exactly?
One-third of those polled (30.2 percent)
said the state was on the wrong
track. And what do they mean, exactly.
Are they unhappy with what
is happening socially, economically,
politically, morally
in the state?
A majority (57 percent)
felt the state was growing
too fast. Another 35.4 percent
felt the state is growing
about right. If the responses
were collected just from
Treasurve Valley residents
who get stuck in traffic every
day and have seen their taxes
and rent skyrocket, I think
the dial moves to 90 percent
unhappy with the growth.
The response to a question on taxes
was surprising, considering that many
believe Idaho to be an anti-tax state. The
majority of those polled (60.5 percent)
said the tax bite in the state was about
right.
One-fourth of the respondents (26.5
percent) said taxes are too high. I don’t
know who the folks were that said taxes
are too low (7.7 percent). The fencesitters
(5.1 percent) said they were not
sure. “Can you call back?”
The survey posed an interesting question
on local option taxes. Should cities
have the power to hike the sales taxes
for local projects? State lawmakers for
years have said that’s a bad idea. Those
same lawmakers, of course, demand local
control and states rights!
The survey found that 61.5 percent
were in favor of allowing local option
sales taxes. If the dollars in the current
budget are inadequate to fix the potholes,
maybe it’s time to find additional
revenue.
By a wide margin, a slam dunk, Idahoans
are in agreement that texting or
emailing on smartphones and driving
should be prohibited (85.6 percent).
A partisan divide was evident when
residents were asked if dams should be
removed to aid salmon recovery. The
numbers were split on the issue. Democrats
favored removing dams, while independents
and Republicans did not.
Digging deeper into the responses,
those opposed to removing dams said
lost hydropower and lost irrigation water
were reasons.
The survey found that the majority of
people who have moved here from out
of state in the past 10 years identify as
Republicans (59 pecent) versus Democrats
(28 percent) and Independents (15
percent).
The state may be growing in population, but it appears
the politics won't be changing anytime soon.
Steve Lyon is the editor of the Weiser
Signal American. Contact him at

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