State and National Public Survey, September 1995

January 1, 1995

September 17-20, 1995
N=448 Registered Voters
Margin of Error: +/- 5 %

Would you say that over the past year, Rhode Island's economy has gotten better, stayed about the same, or gotten worse? 11% gotten better, 41% stayed about the same, 45% gotten worse, 3% don't know or no answer

What about the next 12 months or so? Do you expect the Rhode Island economy to get better, stay about the same, or get worse? 18% get better, 50% stay the same, 25% get worse, 7% don't know or no answer

We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are: 36% better off, 35% worse off financially than you were a year ago, 29% don't know or no answer

Now looking ahead--do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be: 25% better off financially, 12% worse off, 58% just about the same as now, 5% don't know or no answer

Now turning to business conditions in the state as a whole--do you think that during the next twelve months we'll have: 28% good times financially, 45% bad times, 27% don't know or no answer

Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely--that in the state as a whole: 22% we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, 57% that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, 21% don't know or no answer

About the big things people buy for their homes--such as furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television, and things like that. Generally speaking, do you think now is a: 51% good time, 27% bad time for people to buy major household items, 22% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bill Clinton is doing as president? 5% excellent, 33% good, 45% only fair, 15% poor, 2% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Claiborne Pell is doing as U.S. Senator? 19% excellent, 44% good, 21% only fair, 7% poor, 9% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Chafee is doing as U.S. Senator? 9% excellent, 42% good, 28% only fair, 9% poor, 12% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. Representative? 9% excellent, 35% good, 28% only fair, 8% poor, 20% don't know or no answer (first congressional district only)

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. Representative? 10% excellent, 36% good, 26% only fair, 4% poor, 24% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Almond is doing as governor? 4% excellent, 30% good, 35% only fair, 17% poor, 14% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Robert Weygand is doing as lieutenant governor? 4% excellent, 26% good, 25% only fair, 4% poor, 41% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jeff Pine is doing as attorney general? 17% excellent, 45% good, 20% only fair, 2% poor, 16% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as secretary of state? 5% excellent, 27% good, 21% only fair, 2% poor, 45% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Nancy Mayer is doing as general treasurer? 12% excellent, 35% good, 22% only fair, 3% poor, 28% don't know or no answer

If the election for U.S. Senate were held today and the candidates were Republican Nancy Mayer and Democrat Jack Reed, would you vote for: 26% Mayer, 48% Reed, 26% don't know or no answer

If the election for U.S. Senate were held today and the candidates were Republican Nancy Mayer and Democrat Joe Paolino, would you vote for: 48% Mayer, 25% Paolino, 27% don't know or no answer

Generally speaking, would you say things in Rhode Island are going in the right direction, or have they gotten off on the wrong track? 38% right direction, 49% wrong track, 13% don't know or no answer

As far as you are concerned, what is the most important problem facing the state of Rhode Island today? Open-ended responses coded as 28% unemployment and jobs, 16% the economy, 10% government spending, 6% ethics and corruption, 6% the business climate, 4% crime, 4% politicians and government, 4% education, 3% taxes, 3% welfare (all others under 3%)

There has been a proposal to build a new shopping mall in downtown Providence as part of the Capital Center development project. As part of the agreement, the developers would invest $350 million in private funds. The state would let the developers keep the first $6 million in annual sales tax revenues each year for 20 years as rent for spaces in the mall's parking garage. Under these terms, would you favor or oppose the construction of this new shopping mall? 25% favor, 66% oppose, 9% don't know or no answer

How much do you think this new shopping mall would benefit the Rhode Island economy? 10% a lot, 25% some, 58% not very much, 7% don't know or no answer

How would you rate Governor Lincoln Almond's handling of the shopping mall issue? 3% excellent, 20% good, 30% only fair, 28% poor, 19% don't know or no answer

Based on what you currently know, do you believe O. J. Simpson is guilty or not guilty of murdering his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson? 58% guilty, 14% not guilty, 28% don't know or no answer

When his trial ends, do you believe the jury will find O.J. Simpson guilty or not guilty of murdering his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson? 15% guilty, 54% not guilty, 31% don't know or no answer

Regardless of how you vote, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or something else? 12% Republican, 28% Democrat, 48% Independent, 7% Other, 5% don't know or no answer

Are you a member of a union or teachers association? 25% yes, 74% no, 1% don't know or no answer