Residents satisfied with schools
Source: Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MILWAUKEE, WI — November 15, 2003 — Wisconsin residents continue to be concerned about the economy and escalating health care costs, but they are increasingly satisfied with the quality of public schools, according to a new survey released Friday.

Nearly one person in three expects the state's economy to worsen over the next year, according to the Wisconsin Realtors Association's Quality of Life Survey. The survey, commissioned by the association and conducted by Wood Communications Group, compiled responses from telephone interviews with 600 state residents age 18 or older. The poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, was conducted in October.

According to the poll:

• One person in three -- around 34% of respondents -- think the state's economy will get worse over the next year.
   

• Health care costs will increase over the next year, according to 82% of the respondents.
   

• The availability of jobs will get worse over the next year, according to 40% of respondents.

In the area of health care, just 36% of respondents said they were satisfied with the costs of their health care. That is a drop from 49% who said they were satisfied with health care costs in the spring of 2003 and in the fall of 2002.

Also:

• 47% of respondents said better access to quality health care would contribute a great deal to their quality of life.
   

• 63% said more affordable health care would enhance the quality of their life a great deal.

Among the bright spots in the survey is the support for public education. More than three in four respondents -- 76% -- said they were satisfied with the quality of public schools in their area. That's up from satisfaction rates of 63% in the spring of 2003 and 65% in the fall of 2002.

Also:

• 62% are satisfied with the amount they pay for public education. That compares with 57% in the spring of 2003 and 53% in the fall of 2002.
   

• 75% said local public schools contribute to the overall quality of life in their area.

The poll is the latest in a series that the Wisconsin Realtors Association, which represents 13,000 realty agents, is commissioning every four months for the next three years, said association President William Malkasian.

The survey is not a political tool and is not being used to advance a specific agenda on behalf of the association, Malkasian said. Instead, it is designed to help public officials identify the issues that most concern state residents, he said.