INDIANAPOLIS — When the Indiana legislature goes back to work next month, here’s what Hoosiers want them to do first: Create more jobs.
Then make government more efficient and improve the schools.
Those were cited as the top three priorities for state government action in the coming year in a public survey of Indiana residents released Thursday.
The Hoosier Survey 2010, conducted by The Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University, found that respondents overwhelmingly said job creation should be the number-one priority of state government when the legislature convenes in January.
“Creating jobs is a hot issue,” said Hoosier Survey co-author Ray Scheele, a political science professor and co-director of the Bowen Center.
Not so hot: Improving public transportation, protecting the environment and reducing illegal immigration. All three moved down the priority list from the last two Hoosier Surveys, taken in 2008 and 2009.
Results of the Hoosier Survey were first released at the Bingham McHale Legislative Conference in Indianapolis, attended by scores of lobbyists, legislative leaders and powerbrokers in and around the Indiana Statehouse.
Details of the survey are on their way to state legislators. Among a number of things, what they’ll see is that Indiana residents may be open to the idea of paying more taxes, but only if it’s for essential services and only if government officials can explain why the money is needed.
“Hoosiers are not necessarily opposed to paying more taxes,” said Scheele. “But they have to be convinced that the money will be spent wisely.”
The survey found that a majority of respondents would consider paying higher taxes to maintain the current level of service for fire protection, schools and police. The same level of support doesn’t exist for jails, parks and other government operations.
Among the other findings:
• When asked about improving public education, nearly half of the respondents said their first choice would be to increase parental involvement with the schools. Increasing teacher salaries and tying teacher salaries to student test scores came in second.
• Nearly 80 percent of respondents with children in K-12 public schools said they were “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their public schools. A majority said they’d prefer the state put money into the existing public school system rather than funding new charter schools.
• There’s regional variation for how the governor and the legislature are viewed. Daniels’ approval rating in central Indiana is 59 percent; it drops to 47 percent in southern Indiana and 42 percent in northern Indiana. The legislature earns the highest approval rating in southern Indiana at 57 percent, followed by a 49 percent approval in central Indiana and 41 percent in northern Indiana.
• On health care, half of Hoosiers say they have an unfavorable view of the federal health care reform act. But when asked about specific provisions, respondents overwhelmingly supported the details of the plan, including making insurance coverage affordable; prohibiting insurance companies from canceling insurance because of pre-existing conditions; and keeping children on family policies until age 26.
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