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Residents worry about lost jobs
Source: Marv Balousek, Wisconsin State Journal
MADISON, WI — November 15,
2003 — People in Wisconsin are worried about the state's loss of jobs,
economic woes and rising health-care costs. But most believe their
personal financial situation will improve or stay the same next year.
Those are among the results of a quality of life survey conducted
recently by the Wisconsin Realtors Association. The survey polled 600
residents throughout the state and asked them about the economy,
personal safety, taxes, public services, health care and home ownership.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Jim Wood, president of Wood Communications Group, said the somewhat
conflicting survey results are due to a shift the state is making from a
manufacturing-based economy to a more high-tech, white-collar economy
that has resulted in layoffs as well as job creation. While Wisconsin
has lost more than 60,000 jobs in the past three years, he said, another
45,000 jobs were created.
"I think we're in one of these transition periods," Wood said. "The
folks who have lost jobs see the tide going out and the folks who have
successfully made the transition see the tide coming in."
The survey found that the overall mood of Wisconsin residents has gotten
worse since the association's last survey during the summer. About 40
percent of respondents said they believe the availability of job
opportunities will decline while 25 percent said they expect it to
improve. About 34 percent said they expect the state's economy to get
worse while 29 percent said they see it getting better.
Wood said 82 percent of those surveyed said they expect health-care
costs to increase and about 52 percent said they have less money to
spend now than they had a year ago.
Despite a gloomy job outlook for the state, most people believe they
won't be affected. Three out of four people said they expect their job
security to improve or stay the same. About 42 percent of the
respondents said they think things overall will get better for them in
the next year and another 41 percent said things will stay the same.
Other findings include:
About 78 percent said
they're satisfied with the cost of owning or renting their homes, with
older homeowners more satisfied than younger renters.
About 76 percent said
they're satisfied with the quality of public schools in their areas, 76
percent said the state's colleges and universities are doing a good job
preparing workers and more than 70 percent gave positive ratings to the
technical college system.
A majority of respondents
said they are willing to add $100 a year to their property taxes to pay
for school initiatives like teacher training, school safety, discipline
or more computers and equipment.
About 93 percent said
they're satisfied with personal safety and security in their
neighborhoods, although the number who are "very satisfied" declined to
56 percent from 70 percent in the summer survey.
About 57 percent of the
respondents are satisfied with the quality of public services. About 87
percent said they're satisfied with police services and 89 percent are
satisfied with fire protection services. But two-thirds said less
government would improve their quality of life.
Bill Malkasian, president
of the Wisconsin Realtors Association, said the economic transition is
illustrated by the survey's findings that people aged 18 and 34 are more
optimistic than those 45 to 55.
"I think we're right in the
middle of (this transition)," he said. "Five years from now, we're going
to look back and say it was a really interesting time."
GRAPHIC: Laura Sparks/WSJ graphic/ Source: The Wisconsin Realtors
Association/ Economic concerns of Wisconsin residents
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