Economy worries state residents
Source: Avi Stern, Appleton Post-Crescent

MADISON, WI - August 13, 2004 - The aftershocks of the recent economic downturn have fundamentally changed the way Wisconsinites view their lives, for better or worse, according to an ongoing statewide survey.

The Wisconsin Realtors Association (WRA) this week released "The People's Agenda," an overview document drawn from their first two years of sampling.

"What's notable is the pervasive nature of the economy being cited as the driving force in our quality of life," said Jim Woods, president of Madison-based Wood Communications, which conducted the phone research. "In the past, people were more likely to cite 'home' or 'family.'"

Among the key findings:

Quality of life: Forty percent of the 500 respondents say their personal quality of life will improve in the next year. "That's a sign we're getting through the recent manufacturing slump," Wood said. "Considering everything we've gone through - internationally, domestically and locally - our population is optimistic, which is a good thing," said WRA president William E. Malkasian.

Young people - those just entering the job pool - are overwhelmingly (66 percent) more positive than older residents already working and struggling to retain their incomes. Only 39 percent of people, ages 45-54, say their lives will get better.

Overall, 12 percent say it will get worse, with the rest saying it will stay the same.

It's all about work: More people cited their workplaces (72 percent) than their homes (62 percent) or communities (34 percent) as the deciding factor in their quality of life.

"They see work as the place where decisions - whether it's their health care or income - are getting made," Wood said.

Job loss/brain drain hits home: It used to be, if your neighbor lost his job or his grown child left the state for greener pastures elsewhere, you commiserated for a few minutes and got on with your own life.

Wisconsinites are waking up to the fact that with each departing job or potential job candidate, the state's already heavily burdened tax base gets strained that much more, Malkasian said.

"The urgency about job losses is rippling back ... we have a high-tax state losing taxpayers," he said.

"We are looking more closely at our local-level officials for solutions," said Appleton Realtor Kitty Jedwabny, who assumes the WRA chairmanship in October. "There's a growing sentiment that that's the only way things will get fixed."

Avi Stern can be reached at 920-993-1000, ext. 439, or by e-mail at astern@postcrescent.com