Posted in Business, Escambia County, Pensacola

Survey: Attitudes toward economy and job growth hold but show huge improvements in past decade

   September 7, 2017

The Quality of Life Survey shows that locals have the same attitude about economic conditions this year as they did in 2016. The positive rating dropped slightly among those living outside of the city limits but the percentage was still higher than those of city voters – 25.1 to 22.9. In 2008, the first year of the QOL survey, only 14 percent believed the economic conditions were excellent or good.

For 2017, one out of three voters believe the economic conditions of the area will improve over the next five years. In 2008, 30 percent said better.  The majority, 54.1,  think the conditions will remain the same. Ten years ago, only 40 precent believed conditions would remain the same.

Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, conducted this survey in June 2017 for the Pensacola Young Professionals. Eight hundred registered Escambia County voters were interviewed by telephone.

Those interviewed were selected randomly from a commercially available Florida State voter registration files. The resulting sample fairly reflects the demographic profile of voters in Escambia County. You can see the statistical report for demographic details by visiting wwwPensacolaYP.com.

The margin for error is plus or minus 3.5-percentage points.

 

Economic Conditions in Escambia Positive   Negative
Overall Excellent Good E+G Just Fair Poor JF+P
2017 0.4 24.2 24.6 55.8 15.7 71.5
2016 1.8 26.6 28.4 54 17.6 71.6
-1.4 -2.4 -3.8 1.8 -1.9 -0.1
City Residents
2017 0.5 22.4 22.9 53.6 15.3 68.9
2016 0 19.5 19.5 72.8 7.7 80.5
0.5 2.9 3.4 -19.2 7.6 -11.6
Outside City
2017 0.3 24.8 25.1 56.5 15.9 72.4
2016 2.2 28.5 30.7 49 20.3 69.3
-1.9 -3.7 -5.6 7.5 -4.4 3.1
Over Next Five Years
Overall  Better Worse Same  
2017 33.2 11 54.1
2016 32 12.9 53.6
1.2 -1.9 0.5
City Residents
2017 31.7 10.4 54.6
2016 33.7 10.1 53.3
-2 0.3 1.3
Outside City
2017 33.7 11.2 53.9
2016 31.5 13.6 53.7
2.2 -2.4 0.2

When it comes to new job growth, voters expect more job growth within the city limits than in the county. More than three out of four have a negative attitude towards new job growth outside the city limits — compared to 60 percent inside the city.  Those living outside of the Pensacola city limits have a more positive attitude towards job growth in the city than city voters – 36 to 29.5.

Escambia New Job Growth Positive     Negative
Overall  Excellent Good E+G Just Fair Poor JF+P
2017 4.4 17.2 21.6 45.6 32.2 77.8
2016 1.4 18 19.4 49.1 29.8 78.9
3 -0.8 2.2 -3.5 2.4 -1.1
City Residents
2017 2.2 17.5 19.7 51.4 28.4 79.8
2016 0 23.1 23.1 54.4 22.5 76.9
2.2 -5.6 -3.4 -3 5.9 2.9
Outside City
2017 5 17.2 22.2 43.9 33.3 77.2
2016 1.7 16.6 18.3 47.7 31.7 79.4
3.3 0.6 3.9 -3.8 1.6 -2.2
Pensacola New Job Growth Positive     Negative
Overall  Excellent Good E+G Just Fair Poor JF+P
2017 4.5 30 34.5 37.6 22.5 60.1
2016 1.3 20.6 21.9 48.9 26.9 75.8
3.2 9.4 12.6 -11.3 -4.4 -15.7
City Residents
2017 4.9 24.6 29.5 49.2 16.9 66.1
2016 0 24.9 24.9 39.1 36.1 75.2
4.9 -0.3 4.6 10.1 -19.2 -9.1
Outside City
2017 4.4 31.6 36 34.1 24.1 58.2
2016 1.6 19.5 21.1 51.5 24.4 75.9
2.8 12.1 14.9 -17.4 -0.3 -17.7

Attitudes towards shared vision for job growth remained the same, which could be considered remarkable considering how aggressive House Speaker Richard Corcoran went after economic development, Visit Florida and Enterprise Florida and how Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill attacked FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance. Some would have expected a dip in this survey question.

Instead the overall rating went up 3.2 points – which is within the margin of error. It was 28.2 percent.

In 2008, only  9 percent had a positive attitude towards a shared vision.

Shared Vision for Job Growth Positive     Negative
Overall  Excellent Good E+G Just Fair Poor JF+P
2017 2.6 25.6 28.2 44.1 26.1 70.2
2016 3.1 21.9 25 47.4 24.5 71.9
-0.5 3.7 3.2 -3.3 1.6 -1.7
City Residents
2017 2.2 29.5 31.7 43.7 24 67.7
2016 5.9 21.3 27.2 56.8 16 72.8
-3.7 8.2 4.5 -13.1 8 -5.1
Outside City
2017 2.8 24.4 27.2 44.2 26.7 70.9
2016 2.4 22 24.4 44.8 26.8 71.6
0.4 2.4 2.8 -0.6 -0.1 -0.7

 

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