Last month, the Pensacola City Council voted 4-3 for a publicly funded conference center and parking garage, indoor entertainment complex and 80 housing units to be built on Lots 4 and 5 at the Community Maritime Park. The council rejected the recommendation made by its consultant, Mayor Grover Robinson and city staff for a proposal that had more residential and retail, including a grocery store.
Inweekly hired Political Matrix to find out what city voters thought of the council’s decision. There wasn’t a lot of support for the proposal – only 31% – and even fewer of the 518 likely city voters polled want to borrow $40 million to build the project – 23%. Hardly anyone wants to raise taxes to pay for it – 10%.
If the city council wants to proceed on this course, they will need to convince more citizens that the project is worthwhile. Right now, it appears some members are out of step with their constituents.
Do you think this is the best project for the Maritime Park?
| Responses | |||||||
| Yes | 159 | 30.7% | |||||
| No | 222 | 42.9% | |||||
| More info | 137 | 26.4% | |||||
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |
| Brahier | Myers | Jones | Moore | Boughton | Hill | Wiggins. | |
| Yes | 33.9% | 34.8% | 32.0% | 24.6% | 23.2% | 29.0% | 37.7% |
| No | 42.4% | 42.0% | 32.0% | 53.6% | 40.6% | 47.0% | 41.6% |
| More info | 23.7% | 23.2% | 36.0% | 21.7% | 36.2% | 24.0% | 20.8% |
Do you support the city borrowing $40 million to fund the conference center and garage?
| Responses | |||||||
| Yes | 121 | 23.4% | |||||
| No | 311 | 60.0% | |||||
| More info | 86 | 16.6% | |||||
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |
| Brahier | Myers | Jones | Moore | Boughton | Hill | Wiggins. | |
| Yes | 28.8% | 23.2% | 20.0% | 14.5% | 24.6% | 27.0% | 24.7% |
| No | 55.9% | 60.9% | 65.3% | 71.0% | 55.1% | 54.0% | 59.7% |
| More info | 15.3% | 15.9% | 14.7% | 14.5% | 20.3% | 19.0% | 15.6% |
Do you support the city raising taxes to fund the conference center and garage?
| Responses | |||||||
| Yes | 51 | 9.8% | |||||
| No | 424 | 81.9% | |||||
| More info | 43 | 8.3% | |||||
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |
| Brahier | Myers | Jones | Moore | Boughton | Hill | Wiggins. | |
| Yes | 18.6% | 4.3% | 10.7% | 2.9% | 7.2% | 12.0% | 13.0% |
| No | 79.7% | 88.4% | 82.7% | 89.9% | 78.3% | 79.0% | 76.6% |
| More info | 1.7% | 7.2% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 14.5% | 9.0% | 10.4% |
Should any public funds be used for the conference center and garage?
| Responses | |||||||
| Yes | 99 | 19.1% | |||||
| No | 335 | 64.7% | |||||
| More info | 84 | 16.2% | |||||
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |
| Brahier | Myers | Jones | Moore | Boughton | Hill | Wiggins. | |
| Yes | 18.6% | 15.9% | 21.3% | 11.6% | 17.4% | 24.0% | 22.1% |
| No | 69.5% | 65.2% | 66.7% | 73.9% | 60.9% | 58.0% | 62.3% |
| More info | 11.9% | 18.8% | 12.0% | 14.5% | 21.7% | 18.0% | 15.6% |
Besides covering the debt, how do you feel about subsidizing the conference center operations?
| Responses | |||||||
| Yes | 81 | 15.6% | |||||
| No | 267 | 51.5% | |||||
| More info | 170 | 32.8% | |||||
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |
| Brahier | Myers | Jones | Moore | Boughton | Hill | Wiggins. | |
| Yes | 18.6% | 11.6% | 20.0% | 11.6% | 8.7% | 18.0% | 19.5% |
| No | 52.5% | 46.4% | 56.0% | 65.2% | 47.8% | 46.0% | 49.4% |
| More info | 28.8% | 42.0% | 24.0% | 23.2% | 43.5% | 36.0% | 31.2% |
Would you support tax incentives for a parking garage, if substantial private investment is made for residents, retail, hotels, and commercial spaces on the other parcels?
| Responses | |||||||
| Yes | 121 | 23.4% | |||||
| No | 293 | 56.6% | |||||
| More info | 104 | 20.1% | |||||
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |
| Brahier | Myers | Jones | Moore | Boughton | Hill | Wiggins. | |
| Yes | 20.3% | 27.5% | 24.0% | 18.8% | 15.9% | 24.0% | 31.2% |
| No | 64.4% | 56.5% | 53.3% | 65.2% | 52.2% | 54.0% | 53.2% |
| More info | 15.3% | 15.9% | 22.7% | 15.9% | 31.9% | 22.0% | 15.6% |
METHODOLOGY
The persons sampled were likely City of Pensacola voters. The voters called were those only with landlines via IVR. The interviews were conducted between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29. The Margin of Error for this study is +/- 3.5% with a confidence level of 95%.