For the first time in three years of polling, more voters think things are going in the right direction than thinking things are on the wrong track. A plurality of all Escambia County voters think that both the county (45%) and the City of Pensacola (47%) are headed in the right direction. This is a 10-percentage point increase for the county and a 17-percentage point increase for the city.
For both Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, jobs are still important.
What is the most important issue facing Escambia County?
2008
ECONOMY/JOBS 28%
EDUCATION 15%
POOR LEADERSHIP 14%
2009
ECONOMY/JOBS 45%
EDUCATION 12%
POOR LEADERSHIP 10%
2010
ECONOMY/JOBS 30%
OIL SPILL 30%
TAXES/GOVT SPNDG 12%
What is the most important issue facing Pensacola?
2008
ECONOMY/JOBS 28%
POOR LEADERSHIP 9%
TAXES/GOVT SPNDG 9%
2009
ECONOMY/JOBS 32%
EDUCATION 17%
DOWNTOWN PENSA 8%
2010
ECONOMY/JOBS 30%
OIL SPILL 21%
TAXES/GOVT SPNDG 15%
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The jump in people thinking Pensacola and Escambia County are moving in the right direction may bode well for local incumbents. Early voting has started, but it is going very slow. Low turnout also helps incumbents.
Jobs continue to rank high. The only job creation project that is active at this time is the Community Maritime Park—$53 million in construction will help the economy. Once the site is ready, Studer can begin construction on his $12 million office building. The Main Street Plant demolition begins at the end of the year. Hopefully it won’t take five years to figure out what to do what that property.
Read the entire report.
