Brown University News Bureau

The Brown University News Bureau

1996-1997 index

Distributed February 4, 1997
Contact: Mark Nickel

Public opinion survey

RI voters give Almond higher marks than last fall; opinions vary on Patriots stadium, for-profit acquisition of Roger Williams Medical Center

A survey of 438 Rhode Islanders conducted Feb. 1-3 shows voters rate Gov. Almond's job performance higher than last fall. Voters are divided on proposals to build an NFL stadium and to create the state's first for-profit hospital.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island voters give Gov. Lincoln Almond higher job performance numbers than last fall, but are not very happy with General Assembly leaders, according to a recent statewide survey. State residents are divided on a recent proposal by Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation to acquire Roger Williams Medical Center and create the state's first for-profit hospital. They also have divided opinions about using public funds to construct a Rhode Island stadium for the New England Patriots. Voters surveyed believe that secrecy in government is a problem in Rhode Island.

The survey was conducted Feb. 1 to 3, 1997, at Brown University by Darrell M. West, professor of political science and director of the John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory; Thomas J. Anton, director of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions; and Jack Combs, the Center's research administrator. It was based on a statewide random sample of 438 registered Rhode Island voters. Overall, it had a margin of error of about plus or minus five percentage points.

Almond's job performance is rated higher compared to a September 1996 survey. Thirty-nine percent give him excellent or good ratings, 38 percent rate him only fair, 14 percent rate him poor, and 9 percent have no opinion. Last September, 30 percent felt his performance had been excellent or good, 42 percent believed it has been only fair, 21 percent rated him poor, and 7 percent had no opinion. Only 20 percent of respondents rate the job performances of Speaker John Harwood and Senate Majority Leader Paul Kelly as excellent or good.

Excellent/Good   Only Fair      Poor      Unsure   
Almond3938149
Pine50251015
Langevin4119139
Mayer6020416
Harwood20231641
Kelly20231443

Fifty percent of voters surveyed believe Attorney General Jeff Pine is doing an excellent or good job, down from 64 percent last September. Forty-one percent feel Secretary of State Jim Langevin's performance has been excellent or good, unchanged since September. Sixty percent believe Treasurer Nancy Mayer's performance has been excellent or good, compared to 63 percent in September.

For federal officials, 52 percent believe President Bill Clinton is doing an excellent or good job (down from 59 percent). Fifty-two percent rated Sen. John Chafee as excellent or good (down from 53 percent); 47 percent excellent or good for Sen. Jack Reed (down from 50 percent), 47 percent for Rep. Patrick Kennedy (down from 62 percent), and 26 percent for Rep. Robert Weygand (down from 48 percent as lieutenant governor).

Voters are divided over a recent proposal by Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation to acquire Roger Williams Medical Center and create the state's first for-profit hospital. Forty-one percent feel the state should disapprove this acquisition, 33 percent feel the state should approve it, and 26 percent have no opinion. Asked if they supported legislation that would bar a profit-making hospital from taking over a non-profit hospital in Rhode Island, 48 percent support the legislation, 33 percent oppose it, and 19 percent are unsure.

Seventy-eight percent of Rhode Islanders support the construction in Rhode Island of a stadium for the New England Patriots if it were built primarily with private funds. However if some public funds were required, 42 percent support construction, 46 percent oppose it, and 12 percent are unsure.

Seventy-five percent of state voters feel secrecy in government is a problem in Rhode Island. Eighty-two percent think it is very important that government records generally be accessible to the public and that meetings of public bodies be open to the public.

The Index of Consumer Sentiment for Rhode Island, a measure of economic optimism, is 87.0 in February, up sharply from the previous reading of 82.3 in September 1996. This is the highest reading the state has had since 1992:

     June 1996           78.5          July 1994          80.1
     February 1996       74.3          February 1994      81.0
     September 1995      73.9          September 1993     74.4
     June 1995           68.8          July 1993          69.8
     February 1995       81.4          February 1993      76.0
     September 1994      82.7          September 1992     68.3
                                       June 1992          76.0

For more information, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163.

Survey Questions and Responses

We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are: 39% better off, 27% worse off financially than you were a year ago, 34% 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: 33% better off financially, 9% worse off, 49% just about the same as now, 9% 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: 41% good times financially, 31% bad times, 28% don't know or no answer

Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely--that in the state as a whole: 35% we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, 42% 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: 57% good, 22% 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? 7% excellent, 45% good, 34% only fair, 12% poor, 2% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Chafee is doing as U.S. Senator? 7% excellent, 45% good, 24% only fair, 7% poor, 17% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. Senator? 9% excellent, 38% good, 15% only fair, 5% poor, 33% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. Representative? 8% excellent, 39% good, 26% only fair, 11% poor, 16% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Robert Weygand is doing as U.S. Representative? 4% excellent, 22% good, 14% only fair, 5% poor, 55% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Almond is doing as governor? 6% excellent, 33% good, 38% only fair, 14% poor, 9% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jeff Pine is doing as attorney general? 10% excellent, 40% good, 25% only fair, 10% poor, 15% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as secretary of state? 9% excellent, 32% good, 19% only fair, 1% poor, 39% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Nancy Mayer is doing as general treasurer? 16% excellent, 44% good, 20% only fair, 4% poor, 16% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Harwood is doing as Speaker of the House? 0% excellent, 20% good, 23% only fair, 16% poor, 41% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Paul Kelly is doing as Senate Majority Leader? 1% excellent, 19% good, 23% only fair, 14% poor, 43% 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? 51% right direction, 41% wrong track, 8% don't know or no answer

The Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation has proposed to acquire the Roger Williams Medical Center and create the state's first for-profit hospital. Should the state approve or disapprove this acquisition? 33% approve, 41% disapprove, 26% don't know or no answer

Do you support legislation that would bar a profit-making hospital from taking over a non-profit hospital in Rhode Island? 48% support, 33% oppose, 19% don't know or no answer

Would you support the construction in Rhode Island of a stadium for the New England Patriots if it were built primarily with private funds? 78% yes, 18% no, 4% don't know or no answer

Would you support the construction in Rhode Island of a stadium for the New England Patriots if some public funds were required? 42% yes, 46% no, 12% don't know or no answer

How important do you think it is that government records generally be accessible to the public and that meetings of public bodies be open to the public? 82% very important, 12% somewhat important, 1% not very important, 5% don't know or no answer

Do you think that secrecy in government currently is a problem in Rhode Island? 75% yes, 15% no, 10% don't know or no answer

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