Public Perceptions about

 

Future Economic Development at Quonset Point

 

 

 

 

 

by Darrell M. West

Taubman Center for Public Policy

Brown University

Providence, RI  02912-1977

(401) 863-1163

Darrell_West@brown.edu

 

 

 

 

 

October, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsored by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

Executive Summary  3

 

Views about Economic Development  4

 

Familiarity with and Impressions about Quonset  5

 

The Bond Measure  7

 

Quonset Enhancements  8

 

Community Development Fund  8

 

Investment and New Jobs  9

 

Factors Affecting Quonset Views  10

 

Breadth of Quonset Benefits  11

 

Appendix:  Survey Questions and Answers  13

 

 

 

Executive Summary

 

The Quonset Davisville Port & Industrial Park long has been considered vital to Rhode Island economic development.  This 3,000-acre industrial park sits on the waterfront and has road, rail, air, and water access.  It also has an airport with an 8,000 foot runway.  In an effort to create jobs and enhance economic development, the state has invested around $300 million to improve the area's transportation infrastructure.

To determine how voters feel about future economic development at Quonset, the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation commissioned a public opinion survey on this subject.  Between October 18 and 22, 2003, interviewers at the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University conducted a telephone survey of 424 registered voters randomly selected from around the state.  This survey inquired about a number of different topics:  views about economic development within the state, familiarity with and impressions about Quonset, how voters would feel about a $48 million bond measure to improve Quonset, and what factors would affect people's impressions about economic development and job creation at Quonset.  Phone interviewing was conducted at the Taubman Center's John Hazen White Public Opinion Laboratory.  The survey had a margin of error of about plus or minus five percentage points.

Among the important findings of the survey were the following points:

1) Eighty-eight percent of the state's voters feel that economic development is very important to the future of Rhode Island.

2) When asked to rate Rhode Island's current efforts at economic development, three percent said these efforts were excellent, 31 percent described them as good, 47 percent felt they were only fair, 12 percent believed they were poor, and 7 percent were unsure.

3) The top obstacle to state economic development, in the eyes of voters, was high taxes (14 percent), followed by politicians and politics (9 percent), lack of jobs (8 percent), lack of business opportunities (8 percent), money problems (4 percent), education problems (4 percent), poor leadership (3 percent), the General Assembly (2 percent), health insurance problems (2 percent), too small of an economy (1 percent), budget problems (1 percent), and environmentalists (1 percent).

4) Most voters are not very familiar with Quonset Point.  When asked how familiar they were with business activities taking place there, 13 percent said they were very familiar, 46 percent claimed they were somewhat familiar, 38 percent were not very familiar, and 3 percent were unsure.

5) Despite the general lack of familiarity, 76 percent of voters said they thought the 145 companies operating at Quonset providing 6,000 jobs and generating $3 million in lease revenues were very valuable to Rhode Island, while 18 percent believed these companies were somewhat valuable, 2 percent felt they were not very valuable, and 4 percent were unsure.

6) The state is considering a $48 million bond measure on the ballot next year to improve Quonset Point.  When asked whether they would vote in favor or in opposition to this bond measure, 64 percent said they would vote in favor, 13 percent indicated they would oppose the bond measure, and 23 percent were undecided how they would vote.

7) Of the specific enhancements planned for Quonset Point, upgrading utility service was most likely to be very important by voters, followed by repairing piers (62 percent), demolishing deteriorating buildings (59 percent), constructing new roads (57 percent), refurbishing the Quonset airport (41 percent), and building new bike paths (39 percent).

8) We asked voters how they whether they would support or oppose the creation of a community development fund financed by new Quonset Point revenues.  Overall, 70 percent said they would support a community development fund, 11 percent would oppose it, and 19 percent were unsure.

9) The state often spends money for roadways, buildings, and repairs in order to attract private investment and create new jobs.  Seventy-one percent consider this a good use of state money, 14 percent think it is not a very good use, and 15 percent are unsure. 

10) One issue that could affect public support for a Quonset Point bond measure is the status of a container port at Quonset proposed by a past administration.  When asked if state leaders promised not to build a container port at Quonset Point, would that make voters more or less likely to support a bond measure for Quonset Point, 40 percent said that a no container port pledge would make them more likely to support a bond measure, 21 percent stated it would make them less likely to support the bond, and 39 percent were unsure how it would affect their position.

11) If the state could generate new money by selling a portion of the land at Quonset Point, 37 percent say this would make them more likely to support a bond measure, 29 percent indicate it would make them less likely to do so, and 34 percent are unsure. 

12) In looking at voter views about the breadth of Quonset Point benefits for Rhode Island, 68 percent believe Quonset benefits the entire state, 17 percent think it benefits just the area right around Quonset Point, and 15 percent are undecided. 

13) When asked whether they thought the state already has spent too much money on Quonset Point for the number of jobs that have been created, 17 percent believe too much money has been spent, 38 percent do not think too much has been spent, and 45 percent are unsure.

 

Views about Economic Development

 

We asked about people's overall views about economic development in Rhode Island.  Eighty-eight percent of the state's voters feel that economic development is very important to the future of Rhode Island, nine percent say it is somewhat important, two percent believe it is not very important, and 2 percent were unsure.

There is little variation by demographic category.  Men (88 percent) and women (89 percent) thought economic development was very important.  The same was true for union members (92 percent) and non-union members (88 percent) and for whites (89 percent) and minorities (86 percent).  There were few meaningful differences by age or family income.

            However, when asked to rate Rhode Island's current efforts at economic development, voters were less positive.  Three percent said these efforts were excellent, 31 percent described them as good, 47 percent felt they were only fair, 12 percent believed they were poor, and 7 percent were unsure. 

            The individuals most likely to rate economic development unfavorably were those aged 45 to 64 years old, union members, and those making between $20,000 and $60,000 and making over $150,000 in family income.

 

Views of Current Economic Development Efforts by Subgroup

 

Excellent

Good

Only Fair

Poor

Gender

 

 

 

 

-male

3%

30%

47%

15%

-female

3

32

48

11

UnionMember

 

 

 

 

-member

0

26

62

12

-non-member

3

34

45

12

Race

 

 

 

 

-white

2

33

48

12

-minority

7

36

46

7

Age

 

 

 

 

-18-24

5

21

47

16

-25-34

4

43

40

8

-35-44

1

39

47

10

-45-54

1

30

52

14

-55-64

3

27

48

18

-65 or older

5

33

49

7

Family Income

 

 

 

 

-$0-20K

5

38

40

11

-$20-40K

5

34

41

18

-$40-60K

0

23

55

18

-$60-80K

2

22

56

11

-$80-100K

0

44

47

6

-$100-125K

0

37

56

7

-$125-150K

0

59

35

6

-over $150K

5

25

65

5

 

            We also asked an open-ended question regarding what voters considered the single biggest obstacle to economic development within the state.  The top obstacle named was high taxes, which was named by 14 percent of respondents.  This was followed by politicians and politics (9 percent), lack of jobs (8 percent), lack of business opportunities (8 percent), money problems (4 percent), education problems (4 percent), poor leadership (3 percent), the General Assembly (2 percent), health insurance problems (2 percent), too small economy (1 percent), budget problems (1 percent), and environmentalists (1 percent).  All other items listed were named by less than 1 percent of voters.

 

Familiarity with and Impressions about Quonset

 

            Most voters are not very familiar with the 3,000-acre waterfront property at Quonset Point.  When asked how familiar they were with business activities taking place there, 13 percent said they were very familiar, 46 percent claimed they were somewhat familiar, 38 percent were not very familiar, and 3 percent were unsure.

            Men are more familiar with Quonset Point activities than women.  Whites said they were more familiar than minorities did.  Young people are the age group most likely to say they are not very familiar with Quonset Point.  People whose families made $40,000 or less reported they were not very familiar with Quonset business activities.

 

Familiarity with Quonset Point Business Activities by Subgroup

 

Very Familiar

Somewhat Familiar

Not Very Familiar

 

Gender

 

 

 

 

-male

17%

51%

32%

 

-female

9

45

44

 

UnionMember

 

 

 

 

-member

14

58

28

 

-non-member

13

46

39

 

Race

 

 

 

 

-white

14

49

36

 

-minority

4

25

61

 

Age

 

 

 

 

-18-24

16

11

74

 

-25-34

17

26

55

 

-35-44

18

46

33

 

-45-54

14

58

28

 

-55-64

11

59