State and National Public Survey, June 1997

January 1, 1997

June 21-23, 1997
N=407 Registered Voters
Margin of Error: +/-5 %

We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are: 35% better off, 24% worse off financially than you were a year ago, 41% 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, 56% just about the same as now, 7% 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: 48% good times financially, 28% bad times, 24% don't know or no answer

Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely--that in the state as a whole: 37% we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, 43% that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, or what, 20% 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: 57% good, 20% bad time for people to buy major household items, 23% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bill Clinton is doing as president? 7% excellent, 39% good, 37% only fair, 13% poor, 4% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Chafee is doing as U.S. Senator? 12% excellent, 38% good, 26% only fair, 9% poor, 15% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. Senator? 11% excellent, 36% good, 23% only fair, 5% poor, 25% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. Representative? 10% excellent, 37% good, 29% only fair, 15% poor, 9% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Robert Weygand is doing as U.S. Representative? 4% excellent, 31% good, 24% only fair, 4% poor, 37% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Almond is doing as governor? 7% excellent, 33% good, 35% only fair, 20% poor, 5% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bernard Jackvony is doing as lieutenant governor? 1% excellent, 19% good, 17% only fair, 4% poor, 59% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jeff Pine is doing as attorney general? 8% excellent, 42% good, 24% only fair, 14% poor, 12% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as secretary of state? 5% excellent, 40% good, 18% only fair, 1% poor, 36% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Nancy Mayer is doing as general treasurer? 18% excellent, 41% good, 19% only fair, 2% poor, 20% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Harwood is doing as Speaker of the House? 1% excellent, 20% good, 25% only fair, 12% poor, 42% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Paul Kelly is doing as Senate Majority Leader? 2% excellent, 20% good, 26% only fair, 10% poor, 42% 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? 52% right direction, 39% wrong track, 9% don't know or no answer

There is a bill pending in the General Assembly that would restrict for-profit health-care companies to purchasing no more than one non-profit hospital in Rhode Island. Do you approve or disapprove of this legislation? 58% approve, 30% disapprove, 12% don't know or no answer

How many times during the past year did you go to Downtown Providence for shopping? 70% zero times, 14% once or twice, 5% three or four times, 8% five times or more, 3% don't know or no answer

How many times during the past year did you go to Downtown Providence for dining or entertainment? 39% zero times, 22% once or twice, 14% three or four times, 25% five times or more, 0% don't know or no answer

How many times during the past year did you go to Downtown Providence for business reasons, such as seeing a banker, insurance agent, or stock broker? 64% zero times, 12% once or twice, 8% three or four times, 15% five times or more, 1% don't know or no answer

Compared to five years ago, would you say that Downtown Providence looks: 74% better off, 9% worse off, 17% 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? 15% Republican, 25% Democrat, 47% Independent, 8% Other, 5% don't know or no answer