Maintaining Health and Human Services · Maintaining Health and Human Services with Diminishing Resources: A Survey of Ohio Voters 1 Background The weak U.S. economy has produced

Maintaining Health and Human Services with Diminishing Resources:

A Survey of Ohio Voters

Data Collected by Woelfel Research, Inc. Report Prepared by

Susan L. Silberman, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2003 AARP

Knowledge Management 601 E Street NW

Washington, DC 20049 http://research.aarp.org

Reprinting with Permission

http://research.aarp.org

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to making life better for people 50 and over. We provide information and resources; engage in legislative, regulatory and legal advocacy; assist members in serving their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for our members. These include AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; Segunda Juventud, our quarterly newspaper in Spanish; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for National Retired Teachers Association members; and our Web site, www.aarp.org. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Acknowledgements

AARP staff from the Ohio State Office, State Affairs, Brand Management, and Knowledge Management contributed to the design and implementation of this study. Special thanks go to AARP staff including Kathy Tefft-Keller, Ohio State Office; Valerie Jacobs, Ohio State Office; Margy Drumheller, Ohio State Office; John Luehrs, State Affairs; Clare Hushbeck, State Affairs; Tony Copeland, Brand Management; Gretchen Straw, Knowledge Management; Cassandra Cantave, Knowledge Management; Darlene Matthews, Knowledge Management; Erica Dinger, Knowledge Management; and Cheryl Barnes, Knowledge Management. John Corlett, Federation for Community Planning of Ohio and Gayle Tenenbaum, Public Children Services Association of Ohio served as project partners with the Ohio State Office. John Woelfel and Leslie Seabright of Woelfel Research insured a timely and high quality survey. Susan L. Silberman, AARP Knowledge Management, managed all aspects of the project and wrote the report. For more information, contact Susan L. Silberman at (202) 434-6339.

Maintaining Health and Human Services with Diminishing Resources: A Survey of Ohio Voters

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Background

The weak U.S. economy has produced another state budget crisis. State tax revenues have fallen sharply, deficits are increasing exponentially, and costs continue to rise. Because states must balance their budgets, they are facing the daunting task of dismantling programs and services, cutting state jobs, and finding new ways to generate needed resources at the same time their most vulnerable citizens need more help from state government. Since state budget reductions fall heavily on programs that serve the low-income population, state budget crises tend to hit the most needy when they are already feeling the impact of a weak economy.1

Ohio, like most states, is experiencing an economic downturn characterized by lower state revenues and higher need for state services. As a result, there is now a nearly $720 million shortfall in the state’s 2003 budget; it must be closed by June 30, 2003. In the next two years Ohio faces a $4 billion shortfall. In response, the governor recommended a plan to balance the state budget with higher taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, and adding sales tax to entertainment, dry cleaning, and beauty services. When lawmakers at the Capitol recently rejected the governor’s proposals, Governor Taft warned Ohioans to brace themselves for across the board budget cuts affecting education, universities, and programs that benefit senior citizens. Many of these cuts disproportionately affect health and human services for children, the elderly, the disabled, and low-income working families. Human services encompass a wide array of services for the most needy such as health, community-based long-term care, hunger programs and child care services.

Maintaining Health and Human Services with Diminishing Resources: A Survey of Ohio Voters explores:

• How voters prioritize the state of Ohio maintaining current levels of funding for human service programs

• Citizens’ ideas about the role of government in providing human service programs during difficult economic times

• Support for specific human service programs • Methods to raise revenue to avoid cuts in human service

programs • Attitudes toward increases in taxes or other fees to maintain

specific human service programs

This telephone survey was conducted between February 3 and 15, 2003 with a random sample of 1,000 Ohio voters age 18 and older.

1 Rivlin, Alice M. “Another State Fiscal Crisis: Is There a Better Way?” The Brookings Institute, Washington, D.C. Policy Briefing No. 23, December 2002.


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Report Organization The highlights section provides a brief overview of the major survey results. The findings section presents the survey data along with a few graphical illustrations. The results are reported as percentages.2 A profile of survey respondents is followed by the conclusions section. The methodology section discusses weighting the data, response rates, and sampling error. An annotated questionnaire, appended to the report, discloses all survey responses and provides a demographic profile of respondents.

Highlights • Nine in ten (89%) Ohio voters age 18 or older say it is important to

them that the state of Ohio maintains current levels of funding for human services. Eighty-six percent of respondents say it is important for Ohio to maintain current levels of funding that help people obtain human serivces, even if they are not currently personally eligible for these services.

• Six in ten (59%) Ohioans think the costs of human services should be

shared between the individual and the government. Moreover, seventy percent of respondents support the cost of human services being fully paid by the state for households living below the poverty line.

• Ohio voters support finding ways to generate additional revenues if

the money would be spent on specific health and human services:

o Eighty-eight percent support providing food to local hunger programs and housing assistance to low-income working families, the elderly, and the disabled.

o Eighty-seven percent support helping low-income working families pay for child care and protecting and treating children who have been abused.

o Eighty-two percent support maintaining the delivery of health and community-based long-term care services.

2 Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Also some graphs do not include respondents who refused to answer or said “Don’t Know.” Similarly, graphs do not include categories with less than 1% response.


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• Ohioans support raising money to avoid cuts in funding for state

human services. The majority of respondents support:

o adding a temporary surcharge on the income tax for households with annual incomes above $200,000 (72%);

o increasing the tax on liquor (71%); o closing loopholes and exemptions (71%); o increasing the tax on beer and wine (71%); o increasing corporate income taxes (69%); o increasing the cigarette tax by $.45 to $1.00 (63%); and o increasing the sales tax rate on items currently taxed, except for

food and over-the-counter medications (52%).

• Ohio voters are likely to accept an increase in taxes or other fees in order to maintain the current funding levels for specific types of human service programs. At least eight in ten Ohio respondents are likely to accept increases for:

o protecting and treating children who have been abused (88%); o helping older adults and the disabled remain in their homes

instead of a nursing home (86%); o providing housing assistance to low-income working families,

the elderly, and the disabled (83%); and o providing mental health counseling for emotionally disturbed

children (81%).


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Findings

Nine in ten Ohio voters believe it is important that the state maintain current levels of funding for human services. Maintaining current funding levels for human services is important to Ohio residents. More than half of respondents think it is very important (51%) while another 38 percent think it is somewhat important.

51%

38%

7%2%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Very Important

SomewhatImportant

Not VeryImportant

Not At AllImportant

More than eight in ten residents think it is important for Ohio to maintain current levels of funding that help people obtain human services, even if they are not currently personally eligible for the services. Eighty-six percent of respondents say it is important for Ohio to maintain current levels of funding that help people obtain human services, even if they are not currently personally eligible for these services. Forty-five percent believe it is very important while 41 percent believe it is somewhat important.

Importance of Maintaining Current Funding Levels for Human Services

(n=1000)


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More than nine in ten voters think it is important that Ohio help citizens pay for human services. Survey respondents were asked how important they feel it is for Ohio to help its citizens pay for human services. Fifty-two percent think it is very important while 38 percent believe it is somewhat important for Ohio to help its citizens pay for human services. Six in ten Ohioans believe the costs of human services should be shared between the individual and the government.

How to Pay for Human Services

(n=1000)

Ohioans were asked what comes closer to how they think human services should be paid for. A majority (59%) believe the costs for human services should be jointly shared by the individual and government. Only two in ten think the costs of human services should be paid primarily by the individual receiving care – either through insurance or savings.

Individual Pays20%

State Pays17%

Not Sure/Refused

5%

Costs Jointly Shared

59%

Seven in ten Ohio voters support the costs of human services being fully paid by the state for households below the poverty line.

Survey respondents were asked about the costs of human services for very poor people living below the poverty line. Thirty-four percent strongly support and 35 percent somewhat support the state fully paying for the costs of human services for households living below the poverty line.


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A plurality of Ohio voters believe there is not enough money in the state budget to meet the needs for human services and ensure quality.

Survey respondents were asked to describe Ohio’s current funding for human services. A plurality (38%) of respondents say there is not enough money in the state budget to meet the need for human services and ensure quality. Another 32 percent believe that currently there is enough money to meet needs. Almost two in ten (17%) responded don’t know to the question; and only about one in ten (12%) think there is more than enough money in the state budget to meet the need for service while quality. At least eight in ten Ohio voters support finding ways to generate additional revenue if the money would be spent on human services.

Ohio respondents support finding ways to generate additional revenues if the money would be spent on specific human service programs. Almost nine in ten (88%) residents support providing food to local hunger programs and housing assistance to low-income working families, the elderly, and the disabled. Eighty-seven percent support helping low-income working families pay for child care services and protecting and treating children who have been abused. Eighty-two percent support maintaining the delivery of health and community-based long-term care services in Ohio.

Support for Specific Human Service Programs (n=1000)

57% 61%45%

31% 26%

36%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Hunger Programs/HousingAssistance

Child Care/Treat Abuse Health/Long-Term Care

Strongly Support Somewhat Support


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Six in ten Ohio voters support legislation in Ohio that would maintain current funding for human services, even if it meant an increase in certain taxes, fees, and licenses. The majority of Ohio respondents support maintaining current funding levels for human services, even if it means an increase in certain taxes, fees, and licenses. More than a quarter of residents strongly support (27%) while another 32 percent somewhat support maintaining current funding levels. Ohioans support increases in sin taxes and corporate and temporary taxes as a way to balance the state budget and avoid cuts in funding human services. Ohio residents were asked to consider ways to balance the state budget and avoid cuts in funding human services. One option is to look for new ways to raise money. Respondents were presented with ten different types of taxes or methods to generate revenue as one way to avoid cuts in human services. Broadly speaking the methods to raise revenues include: sin taxes, broad-based personal taxes, and corporate and temporary taxes. Sin taxes include taxes on beer and wine, liquor, and cigarettes. Broad-based personal taxes are taxes that affect a wide range of individuals. They include the sales tax, the gas tax, and the state income tax. Corporate and temporary taxes include corporate taxes, closing loopholes and exemptions, and adding a temporary surcharge on the income tax for households with annual incomes of $200,000 or more.


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At least six in ten Ohio voters support increases in taxes on liquor, beer and wine, and cigarettes.

Support for Sin Taxes: Liquor, Beer and Wine, and

Cigarettes (n=1000)

When asked to consider ways to balance the state budget and avoid cuts in funding for humans services, the majority of Ohio voters support increases in the sin taxes. Specifically, an increase in the tax on liquor garnered the most support (71%), while beer and wine taxes are suported by 70 percent of residents. Sixty-three percent of Ohio residents support an increase in the cigarette tax by $.45 to $1.00.

52%

46%

49%

12%

24%

22% 10%

9%

8%

18%

20%

28%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Cigarettes

Beer/Wine

Liquor

Strongly Support Somewhat SupportSomewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose

Seven in ten Ohioans support increases in corporate and temporary taxes.

Corporate and temporary taxes are non-personal taxes that do not affect a wide range of individuals. In this report, non-personal taxes include corporate taxes, closing loopholes and exemptions, and adding a temporary surcharge on high income households with annual income over $200,000. The surcharge on high income households would affect less than two percent of Ohio households. Ohioans support increases in these corporate and temporary taxes. Seventy-two percent of residents support a temporary surcharge on high income households. Respondents also support closing loopholes and exemptions (70%) and increasing corporate income taxes (69%), albeit at slightly lower levels.


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Support for Corporate and Temporary Taxes (n=1000)

49% 44% 40%

24% 27% 28%

11%9%9%

17%11%17%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Temp Tax on $200,000+Annual Income Hsehlds

Close Loopholes/Exempts Corporate Taxes

Strongly Support Somewhat Support Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose

The majority of Ohioans reject increases in most broad-based personal taxes as a way to balance the state budget and avoid cuts in human services. Broad–based personal taxes are those taxes that impact a wide range of individuals. The survey examines a series of broad-based taxes: the gas tax, the income tax, and two options for the sales tax. The first option is raising the sales tax on currently taxed items except food and over-the-counter-medications. The second option is charging sales tax on services such as entertainment like movies and concerts and personal care services like dry cleaning and beauty salons. Survey respondents are most opposed to increases in the gas (77%) and income (58%) tax. Increases and changes in the sale tax are opposed but not as widely. Ohio voters oppose increasing broad-based personal taxes or charging tax on entertainment and personal care services as a way to balance the state budget and avoid cuts in funding for humans services.


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Support for Broad-Based Personal Taxes: Gas, Income, and Sales (n=1000)

19%

17%

11%

6%

33%

27%

28%

16% 15% 62%

18%

16%

17%

41%

39%

30%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Sales - Not Food/Meds

Sales - Entmt/Pers Care

Income

Gas

Strongly Support Somewhat Support Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose

At least seven in ten Ohio voters are likely to accept an increase in taxes or other fees in order to maintain the current funding level of specific human service programs.

Survey respondents were asked to consider how likely they are to accept increases in taxes or other fees in order to maintain current funding levels for human service programs. This question explored the depth of their commitment to retaining the human service programs they showed support for in earlier questions. Eight types of human service programs are examined: preventing children from using drugs and alcohol; helping low-income working families pay for child care; protecting and treating children who have been abused; helping older adults and the disabled remain in their homes instead of nursing homes; health insurance for low-income working parents and their children; providing food to local hunger programs; providing housing assistance to low-income working families, the elderly, and the disabled; and providing mental health counseling for emotionally disturbed children.


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A majority of Ohio voters are likely to accept an increase in taxes or other fees in order to maintain current funding levels for each of these specific types of human service programs. Overall, results indicate the likelihood to accept increased taxes and fees range from 88 percent (abused children) to 71 percent (preventing children from using drugs and alcohol). More than eight in ten respondents are likely to accept tax or fee increases to maintain funding for children who have been abused (88%), help older adults and the disabled remain in their own homes (86%), provide housing assistance (83%), and counsel emotionally disturbed children (81%). The likelihood to accept increases for the four remaining human service programs are between a high of 79 percent for both health insurance for low-income working parents and their children and providing food to local hunger programs and a low of 71 percent for preventing children from using drugs and alcohol.

Likelihood to Accept Tax and Fee Increases to Maintain Current Funding Levels for

Specific Human Service Programs (n=1000)

44%

36%

44%

43%

48%

41%

58%

66%

27%

37%

34%

36%

33%

41%

28%

22%

11%

12%

9%

8%

5%

12%

14%

15%

9%

12%

13%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Child Care

Hunger Programs

Family Health Insurance

Counseling for EmotDisturbed

Housing Assistance

Old/Disabled Remain InHome

Abused Children

Very Likely Somewhat Likely Not Very Likely Not At All Likely

9%

6%

5%

7%

7%


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A Profile of Ohio Respondents One thousand Ohio voters aged 18 and older participated in the survey. The respondents come from all eighty-eight counties across the Buckeye State. An overwhelming majority (93%) of respondents are regular voters. Sixty-four percent of those surveyed report they always vote while another 28 percent say they sometimes miss a vote. Survey participants are fairly evenly split across political affiliation. Thirty-three percent think of themselves as Republicans or Democrats, while 28 percent identify as Independents. The majority of respondents are women (53%). Almost six in ten (58%) respondents are married; yet, a surprising number have never been married (19%). Most respondents have some college or technical training beyond high school (29%) or hold high school diplomas or the equivalent (29%). Two thirds of respondents (65%) are employed either full-or part-time. One quarter of Ohio respondents (26%) have an annual household income below $30,000. Another quarter of survey respondents (24%) are members of AARP.

Conclusions

As Governor Taft and the Ohio State Legislators consider how to move forward during the state budget crisis, they should consider the opinions of Buckeye citizens. Survey results indicate that Ohio voters have strong opinions about human services, the role of government, and how to handle the state budget crisis. They believe it is important to maintain current levels of funding for human services. Even if they are not personally eligible for human services, Ohio residents still say it is important for the state to maintain funding at current levels. Ohio voters are telling their state government leaders they support essential human services, even if they personally cannot take advantage of them. Buckeye state residents appear to implicitly believe in a social compact between the individual and state government. This is evidenced in how Ohio voters think about the costs related to human services; they believe the individual and the government should share the costs of human services. Furthermore, for those living below the poverty line, respondents say the cost of human services should be fully paid by the state. Thus, Ohio voters believe the state has certain responsibilities to


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assist both individuals and those who are economically disadvantaged obtain key human services. Findings demonstrate broad and consistent level of acceptability for tax and fee increases for the human service programs Ohio residents value and prioritize. Similarly, Ohioans support finding ways to generate additional revenues if the money would be spent on specific health and human services. To avoid cuts in funding for state human services, they support adding a temporary surcharge on high income households with annual income of over $200,000; increasing taxes on beer, wine, and liquor; and closing loopholes and exemptions. Ohio voters have provided insight into how they would like state government to resolve the budget crisis. With specific examples on where to raise revenues and trim services, citizens have given their leaders suggestions on how to proceed.

Methodology AARP commissioned Woelfel Research to conduct a random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey of voting adults age 18 or older in Ohio. Particpants were screened for age and to ensure they were registered to vote in Ohio. From a random sample of 13,568, a total of 1,000 interviews were completed between February 3 – 15, 2003, yielding a 17 percent response rate and 92 percent cooperation rate.3 The survey has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percent. This means that in 95 out of 100 samples of this size, the results obtained in the sample would fall in a range of 3.1 percentage points of what would have been obtained if every registered voter in Ohio age 18 or older had been surveyed. Survey responses were weighted to reflect the distribution of age and gender in the adult voting population of Ohio. Weighted responses to all survey questions are in the attached annotated questionnaire.

3 The response rate is Response Rate 3 and the cooperation rate is Cooperation Rate 3 from the following publication: The American Association for Public Opinion Research. 2000. Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys. Ann Arbor, Michigan: AAPOR.


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Annotated Questionnaire


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Ohio Budget Survey Maintaining Health and Human Services with Diminishing

Resources: A Survey of Ohio Voters

Sample N=1,000 Ohio 18+ Voters (Response Rate = 17%, Sampling Error ± 3.1%)

SCREENER:

Hello, this is__________ calling from WRI, a national opinion research firm. We are conducting this survey in Ohio and would like to find out your opinions on different methods to resolve Ohio’s budget crisis. Your views are important and we would greatly appreciate your participation. Let me assure you, this is not a sales call and you will not be asked to buy anything either now or later. All of your responses are kept entirely confidential. The survey should take only about 7 minutes of your time. A. Are you a resident of Ohio who is at least 18 years old? 1) Yes

2) No [ASK TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN HH WHO IS A OHIO RESIDENT AGE 18+. IF NO ONE IN HH, TERMINATE]

A2. Are you currently registered to vote in Ohio? 1. Yes 2. No [ASK TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN HH WHO IS

OHIO REGISTERED VOTER. IF NO ONE IN HH, TERMINATE]

A3. [RECORD GENDER] 1. Male 2. Female


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MAIN QUESTIONNAIRE Ohio is facing difficult economic choices in the coming months as the governor and state legislators try to balance the state budget. The state has a $720 million shortfall in the budget this year and at least a $4 billion shortfall in the next two years. There are three major approaches to balancing the budget: cutting current services, increasing state revenues, or a combination of service cuts and revenue increases. I would like to ask your opinion on how you think Ohio should balance its budget and what programs are important to you. In this survey I will be discussing human services. Human services include health, community-based long-term care, hunger programs, and child care services. Q1) How important is it to you that Ohio help citizens pay for human services? 52% Very important 38% Somewhat Important 6% Not that important 3% Not at all important 1% Not sure [DO NOT READ]

<.5% Refuse [DO NOT READ] Q2) Which comes closer to how you think human services should be paid for? (ROTATE ORDER]

20% The costs of human services should be paid mostly by the individual receiving care -- either through insurance or savings

17% The costs of human services should be paid primarily by the state 59% The costs of human services should be shared between the individual

and the government 5% Not sure/refused [DO NOT READ]


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Q3. Now let me ask you about human services for people living below the poverty line. For the very poor, do you support or oppose the cost of human services be fully paid by the state for households below the poverty line?

34% Strongly support 35% Somewhat support 17% Somewhat oppose 11% Strongly oppose 3% Don't know [DO NOT READ]

<.5% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Q4. Which of the following best describes Ohio’s current funding for human services? Do you think….(READ ENTIRE LIST AND ROTATE 1-3. ENTER ONLY ONE RESPONSE.) 12% There is more than enough money in the state budget to meet the need

for services and ensure quality? 32% There is enough money in the state budget to meet the need for

services and ensure quality? 38% There is not enough money in the state budget to meet the need for

services and ensure quality? 17% Don't know

1% Refused

Q5. How important is it to you that the state of Ohio maintains current levels of funding for human services? Would you say it is very important, somewhat important, not very important, or would you say it is not at all important for Ohio to maintain current levels of funding for human services? 51% Very important 38% Somewhat Important 7% Not that important 2% Not at all important 1% Not sure [DO NOT READ]

<.5% Refuse [DO NOT READ]


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Q6. How important is it to you for Ohio to maintain current levels of funding that help people obtain human services, even if you are not currently personally eligible for these services? 45% Very important 41% Somewhat important 8% Not very important 4% Not at all important 2% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Now I would like to ask a few questions about specific Ohio human service programs. Q7. Do you support or oppose findings way to generate additional revenues if the money would be spent on maintaining the delivery of health and community-based long-term care services in Ohio? 45% Strongly support 36% Somewhat support 10% Somewhat oppose 7% Strongly oppose 2% Don't know [DO NOT READ]


Q8. Do you support or oppose findings way to generate additional revenues if the money would be spent on programs to help low-income working families pay for child care and to protect and treat children who have been abused? 61% Strongly support 26% Somewhat support 6% Somewhat oppose 5% Strongly oppose 2% Don't know [DO NOT READ]



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Q9. Do you support or oppose findings way to generate additional revenues if the money would be spent on programs to provide food to local hunger programs and housing assistance to low-income working families, the elderly, and the disabled? 57% Strongly support 31% Somewhat support 6% Somewhat oppose 4% Strongly oppose 2% Don't know [DO NOT READ]


Q10. Now, thinking about the different types of human service programs offered in the state, would you support or oppose legislation in Ohio that would maintain current funding for human services, even if it meant an increase in certain taxes, fees, and licenses?

27% Strongly support 32% Somewhat support 15% Somewhat oppose 23% Strongly oppose 3% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Q11. One approach to balance the state budget and avoid cuts in funding human services in Ohio is to look for new ways to raise money. [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LEAD-IN BEFORE EACH ITEM] To avoid cuts in funding for state human services would you support or oppose ROTATE Q11A- Q11j Q11a. Increasing corporate income taxes? Currently these taxes make up about 5% of Ohio’s state revenues. Would you…




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Q11b. Closing loopholes and exemptions? Would you…

44% Strongly support 27% Somewhat support 9% Somewhat oppose

11% Strongly oppose 9% Don't know [DO NOT READ]


Q11c. Increasing the cigarette tax by $.45 to $1.00 per pack? Would you…



<.5% Refused [DO NOT READ] Q11d. Adding a temporary surcharge on the income tax for higher income households. This temporary tax on income would only apply to those households with annual incomes of $200,000 or more. So it would apply to less than 2% of Ohio households. Would you…


17% Strongly oppose 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Q11e. Increasing the tax on beer and wine? Would you…





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Q11f. Increasing the tax on liquor? Would you…


<.5% Refused [DO NOT READ] Q11g. Increasing the sales tax rate on items you currently pay tax on except for food and over-the-counter medications? Would you…


Q11h. Charging sales tax on services such as entertainment like movies and concerts and personal care services like dry cleaners and beauty salons? Would you…


Q11i. Increasing the gas tax? Would you…



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Q11j. Increasing the state income tax? Would you…


<.5% Refused [DO NOT READ] Q12. Now I am going to read you a list of types of human service programs. For each service, please tell me how likely you are to accept an increase in taxes or other fees in order to maintain the current funding level. [ROTATE 12a-12g] Q12a. Preventing children from using drugs and alcohol 44% Very likely 27% Somewhat likely 15% Not very likely 13% Not at all likely 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Q12b. Helping low-income working families pay for child care 36% Very likely 37% Somewhat likely 14% Not very likely 12% Not at all likely 2% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Q12c. Protecting and treating children who have been abused 66% Very likely 22% Somewhat likely 5% Not very likely 6% Not at all likely 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]


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Q12d. Helping older adults and the disabled remain in their homes instead of a nursing home 58% Very likely 28% Somewhat likely 8% Not very likely 5% Not at all likely 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Q12e. Health insurance for low-income working parents and their children 43% Very likely 36% Somewhat likely 11% Not very likely 9% Not at all likely 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ]

<.5% Refused [DO NOT READ] Q12f. Providing food to local hunger programs 44% Very likely 34% Somewhat likely 12% Not very likely 9% Not at all likely 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Q12g. Providing housing assistance to low-income working families, the elderly, and the disabled 41% Very likely 41% Somewhat likely 9% Not very likely 7% Not at all likely 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]


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Q12h. Mental health counseling for emotionally disturbed children 48% Very likely 33% Somewhat likely 12% Not very likely 7% Not at all likely 1% Don't know [DO NOT READ] 0% Refused [DO NOT READ]

Demographics My last few questions are for classification purposes only!

D1. What is your marital status? Are you currently…. 58% Married 12% Divorced 2% Separated 8% Widowed

19% Or have you never been married? 1% Living with partner [VOLUNTEERED]

<.5% Don't know [DO NOT READ] <.5% Refused [DO NOT READ]

D2. What is your age as of your last birthday? [RECORD IN YEARS] 61% 18-49 16% 50-59 15% 60-74 7% 75+ 1% Refused [DO NOT READ]

D3. Are you or your spouse a member of A-A-R-P formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons? [IF NOT “MARRIED” ASK, “Are you a member…”] 24% Yes 75% No <.5% Don't know/Not sure [DO NOT READ] <.5% Refused [DO NOT READ]


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D4. Thinking about your state elections for Ohio Governor and Legislators in the last ten years, which of the following best describes your voting behavior? Would you say you always vote, sometimes miss one, rarely vote, or never vote?

64% Always vote 28% Sometimes misses one 5% Rarely vote 2% Never vote (DO NOT READ)

<.5% Don’t Know/Not Sure (DO NOT READ) 1% Depends (DO NOT READ) 0% Refused (DO NOT READ)

D5. What is the highest level of education you have completed? (READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

4% Less than high school

29% High school graduate or equivalent 29% Some college or technical training beyond high school 24% College graduate 15% Or, post-graduate or professional degree 0% Don't know [DO NOT READ]


D6. Which of the following best describes your current employment status? Are you currently…. 56% Employed full-time 9% Employed part-time

18% Retired and not working 4% Unemployed and looking for work 6% Homemaker 3% Disabled 2% Student 1% Or something else? [Specify: ___________]

<.5% Don't know [DO NOT READ] <.5% 1Refused [DO NOT READ]


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D7. Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as? (READ LIST. ENTER ONE ONLY)

33% A Republican 33% A Democrat 28% An Independent 3% Other (DO NOT READ) 1% Don’t Know (DO NOT READ) 1% Refused (DO NOT READ)

D8. Now, for statistical purposes only, please stop me when I get to the category that includes your household’s income before taxes in 2002. Was it… (READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

5% Less than $10,000 9% $10,000 but less than $20,000

13% $20,000 but less than $30,000 15% $30,000 but less than $40,000 12% $40,000 but less than $50,000 19% $50,000 but less than $75,000 19% or was your income $75,000 or more 2% DON’T KNOW (DO NOT READ) 8% REFUSED (DO NOT READ)

D9. In what county in Ohio do you reside? ________________________________

D10. And, finally, may I verify that I reached you at: (_____)_________________________

Thank you for participating! Your Opinion Counts.

Respondent gender: 47% Male 53% Female

AARP Knowledge Management

For more information contact Susan Silberman (202) 434-6339

Documents

Maintaining Health and Human Services · Maintaining Health and Human Services with Diminishing Resources: A Survey of Ohio Voters 1 Background The weak U.S. economy has produced