Read It Yourself
The Sun story today notes that the Center for the Study of Local Issues has released its Spring 2007 polling results. Now noting the problems with CSLI studies that we have noted in the past (here and here), I highly recommend you read the findings yourself at http://www2.aacc.edu/csli/CSLI/PressRelease/2007/CSLISping2007PR1.pdf rather than rely on the Sun article. Quite frankly, the reporting of the article does not make any sense when you compare the data relayed in the story and the data contained in the study.
The headline reads: County voices fiscal opinions; Poll finds majority would support tax increases, budget cuts. That implies that a majority would support tax increase and a majority would support budget cuts. The actual response that garnered 55% of support was "The county should pay for these expenses by a combination of cost reductions and tax increases," which would lead one think that maybe some of those people support budget cuts, while only some support tax increase, particularly since only 25% of those surveyed supports Kevin Maxwell's tax increase. I think that the County Executive and the Council will notice this.
Additionally, the survey noted that a majority of those surveyed support an elected school board (contradicting John Leopold's nefarious claims).
And as usual, the methodology was unscientific for political purposes:
The headline reads: County voices fiscal opinions; Poll finds majority would support tax increases, budget cuts. That implies that a majority would support tax increase and a majority would support budget cuts. The actual response that garnered 55% of support was "The county should pay for these expenses by a combination of cost reductions and tax increases," which would lead one think that maybe some of those people support budget cuts, while only some support tax increase, particularly since only 25% of those surveyed supports Kevin Maxwell's tax increase. I think that the County Executive and the Council will notice this.
Additionally, the survey noted that a majority of those surveyed support an elected school board (contradicting John Leopold's nefarious claims).
And as usual, the methodology was unscientific for political purposes:
The survey polled a random sample of 529 county residents who were at least 18 years old. Phone numbers were derived from a database of listed numbers as well as computer chosen, randomly assigned numbers.
Labels: Budget, John Leopold, School Board Reform, Taxes
posted by Brian Griffiths at 9:05 PM
1 Comments:
Their methodology is off, their conclusions of their own data is off, their questions are cumbersome and confusing to those taking the survey, and it is clear that they walk in to the field with the desire to have certain results.
But I still love it when these things come out and imagine how few people would actually support Leopold's bill if this group actually conducted the poll accurately.
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