State and National Public Survey, September 1997

January 1, 1997

September 20-22, 1997
N=406 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: 40% better off, 31% 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: 27% better off financially, 10% worse off, 55% just about the same as now, 8% 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: 49% good times financially, 24% 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: 41% we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, 36% that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, or what, 23% 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: 64% good, 15% bad time for people to buy major household items, 21% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bill Clinton is doing as president? 12% excellent, 40% good, 35% only fair, 10% poor, 3% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Chafee is doing as U.S. Senator? 11% excellent, 42% good, 29% only fair, 8% poor, 10% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. Senator? 12% excellent, 41% good, 25% only fair, 5% poor, 17% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. Representative? 10% excellent, 34% good, 28% only fair, 15% poor, 13% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Robert Weygand is doing as U.S. Representative? 4% excellent, 30% good, 26% only fair, 5% poor, 35% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Almond is doing as governor? 6% excellent, 38% good, 33% only fair, 17% poor, 6% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bernard Jackvony is doing as lieutenant governor? 1% excellent, 19% good, 16% only fair, 2% poor, 62% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jeff Pine is doing as attorney general? 11% excellent, 41% good, 25% only fair, 10% poor, 13% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as secretary of state? 9% excellent, 36% 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? 15% excellent, 44% good, 16% only fair, 4% poor, 21% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Harwood is doing as Speaker of the House? 2% excellent, 19% good, 25% only fair, 13% poor, 41% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Paul Kelly is doing as Senate Majority Leader? 1% excellent, 21% good, 23% only fair, 10% poor, 45% 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? 59% right direction, 32% wrong track, 9% don't know or no answer

There has been a proposal to build a new stadium near downtown Providence. Do you favor the construction of this stadium? 41% favor, 47% oppose, 12% don't know or no answer

Would you favor construction of this stadium if it required state revenue bonds of $80 to 120 million, to be repaid with tax revenues generated by the stadium? 32% favor, 57% oppose, 11% don't know or no answer

Which of the following stadium aspects do you think should be publicly financed through state revenue bonds?

a) acquiring the land where the stadium would be built? 32% yes, 52% no, 16% don't know or no answer

b) building highway ramps to the stadium? 39% yes, 48% no, 13% don't know or no answer

c) demolishing existing buildings on the site? 25% yes, 64% no, 11% don't know or no answer

d) providing stadium parking? 30% yes, 61% no, 9% don't know or no answer

e) building a hotel and/or sports museum adjacent to the stadium? 18% yes, 71% no, 11% don't know or no answer

f) reimbursing the city of Providence for the costs of fire and safety protection? 44% yes, 46% no, 10% don't know or no answer

g) building some of the stadium itself? 29% yes, 60% no, 11% don't know or no answer

h) constructing luxury skyboxes at the stadium? 12% yes, 76% no, 12% don't know or no answer

How much do you think this new stadium would benefit the Rhode Island economy? 28% a lot, 29% some, 36% not very much, 7% don't know or no answer

If Rhode Island has a major league sports franchise, do you think it will make people in the state feel: 48% better about the state, 40% no different, 5% worse about the state, 7% don't know or no answer

Do you feel that the national media exposure that comes along with having a major league sports franchise will make the state more attractive to those from outside of Rhode Island? 69% yes, 24% no, 7% don't know or no answer

Would having a major league sports franchise in the state make you feel proud to be a Rhode Islander? 38% yes, 52% no, 10% don't know or no answer

Should this investment by the city and state be put to building this stadium or devoted to other purposes? 23% build stadium, 66% other purposes, 11% don't know or no answer

Do you believe the stadium proposal should be subject to approval by the General Assembly? 66% yes, 25% no, 9% don't know or no answer

Do you believe the stadium proposal should be subject to approval by voters in a referendum? 85% yes, 12% no, 3% don't know or no answer

How would you evaluate the job Governor Lincoln Almond has done in handling the stadium issue? 7% excellent, 33% good, 28% only fair, 20% poor, 12% don't know or no answer

How would you evaluate the job Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci has done in handling the stadium issue? 15% excellent, 28% good, 23% only fair, 18% poor, 16% don't know or no answer

Which of the following do you worry about in regard to having a new stadium in Providence?

a) traffic jams on Route 95? 77% yes, 18% no, 5% don't know or no answer

b) rowdy fans? 46% yes, 48% no, 6% don't know or no answer

c) loud noise? 39% yes, 55% no, 6% don't know or no answer

d) raising the state's longterm debt level? 72% yes, 17% no, 11% 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? 11% Republican, 28% Democrat, 50% Independent, 5% Other, 6% don't know or no answer