Wisconsin Realtors to Unveil Quality of Life Initiative
Source: WisBusiness.com

MADISON, WI — August 27, 2003 — This week the Wisconsin Realtors Association plans to announce a new multi-year, statewide program called the Quality of Life Initiative. This program is intended to track the key issues that define and impact Wisconsin's quality of life and provide policy-makers and the media with insights into the attitudes of homeowners and citizens statewide.

The main component of the program is regular public opinion survey research on issues such as health care, transportation, taxes, housing, retail and education, followed by media outreach and public education efforts.

"It's important to put 'the public' back into public policy discussions," said William Malkasian, president of the Realtors Association. "We believe this program will enrich public debate over key issues in the best of Wisconsin traditions."

The first survey of the program, conducted by Wood Communications Group, found Wisconsinites were generally satisfied with their quality of life, but pessimistic about their employment situation. Fifty-two percent of the 600 people surveyed said the economy has affected their employers for the worse, and 35 percent expect a further decline in the next six months. Roughly half of respondents rated their own job prospects as good, and just 31 percent were optimistic about their children's future job opportunities.

The WRA plans to commission a new poll every four months for at least three years. The information generated from these surveys will be distributed to state decision makers and the media and used to create an on-going index of public attitudes.