Fewer older state residents think life will improve
Source: Mary Balousek, Wisconsin State Journal

MADISON, WI - August 10, 2004 -Younger people in a recent survey said they're more optimistic than older respondents that their quality of life will improve next year.

About 66 percent of people ages 18 to 34 participating in the survey predicted their quality of life will improve while 27 percent said their quality of life will be the same or worse, according to a quality of life survey conducted by the Wisconsin Realtors Association.

Among those 45 to 54, 39 percent said their quality of life will improve while 49 percent said it will be the same or worse. Among those 55 to 64, 40 percent said their quality of life will improve while 42 percent said it will be the same or worse.

The survey of about 500 people statewide on July 11-13 was the latest in a two-year project that included quarterly surveys on topics such as economic development, affordable housing, taxes, community services and public safety.

"There is a genuine concern about the economy and the quality of life among older age groups," said Jim Wood, president of Wood Communications, which conducted the survey. "The older, established residents of the state are the people who got hit the hardest."

Wood said he was very impressed that survey respondents seemed to have a solid grasp of economic issues.

"This is a more sophisticated public than you would expect to see," he said. "They understand the correlation between expanding the tax base and easing the burden on themselves."

More younger people also said their quality of life has been better (65 percent) over the past five years than those 45-54 (51 percent) or those 55 to 64 (40 percent).

An estimated 80 percent of all respondents said quality education is important to protecting the quality of life at their workplace, according to the survey, while 60 percent said on-the-job training is important. Younger workers ranked on-the-job training higher than older workers.

About 67 percent said not raising taxes is very important to protecting their quality of life at home while 65 percent said high quality services are important.

"We have seen in the past year that people are being squeezed financially," Wood said.

Bob Weber of First Weber Realtors said he had a customer recently who wanted to buy a home but bowed out because he didn't want to pay the taxes. Weber said taxes and the weather are Wisconsin's major drawbacks for people coming from outside the state.

"We don't want people fleeing the state," he said. "We want people coming to Wisconsin."

Safety was ranked as very important by 90 percent of the respondents for preserving the quality of life in their communities while 61 percent said value is very important and 53 percent said good planning is very important.

Fewer than 10 percent ranked their local, state and federal officials as excellent. About 10 percent ranked local officials as poor while 15 percent ranked state officials poor and 25 percent ranked federal officials poor.

Other survey findings include:

14 percent said they're planning to move from their current residence due to high property taxes.

69 percent said less government regulation would enhance their quality of life.

91 percent said it's important to make sure Wisconsin housing is affordable.

76 percent said more investment money available to Wisconsin businesses would enhance their quality of life.

Bill Malkasian, president of the Wisconsin Realtors Association, said people want their elected officials to figure out how to continue offering high quality services without raising taxes.

"We'll be sharing these agendas with everybody who's running for elected office," he said.

Contact Marv Balousek at mbalousek@madison.com or 252-6135.