Q01. Florida currently spends nearly $7,000 per student per year educating our children in K-12 public schools. That amount has increased by 43% over the past nine years. Do you think the amount of money the state spends per student is:  
                        0 = Not Enough          1 = About Right        2 = Too High

Choice              Number Selected           Percent                                                                    

  0                            979                         32.85%

  1                          1152                         38.66%

  2                            849                         28.49%

Total:                     2980                                                                                
 

Q02. The Legislature has reduced state spending overall by $6 billion in the last two years. Continued declines in the economy have resulted in another $6 billion shortfall in state revenues for next year.   How do you believe the state should respond to this situation?            

                       0 =  Raise taxes          1= Continue to cut spending                     

Choice               Number Selected               Percent                                      

0                                 707                    24.04%

1                               2234                    75.96%
Total:                        2941    
 

Q03. One organization has suggested a one penny sales tax increase to reduce the impact of budget cuts on public schools. What is your opinion?      

                                     0 = Disagree                   1 = Agree       

Choice            Number Selected                Percent 

  0                             1496                       50.10%

  1                             1490                       49.90%
Total:                        2986

Q04. Some groups have suggested a 50 cent or $1 increase in taxes on cigarettes with the proceeds used for either health care or education. Do you favor such a proposal?                     
                                 0 = Disagree      1 = Agree
Choice            Number Selected              Percent      

  0                              1021                     34.20%

  1                              1964                     65.80%
Total:                         2985

Q05. Are you in favor of taxing items purchased over the Internet in the same way sales taxes are collected when you buy these items in retail stores?    
                                0 = Disagree   1 = Agree     

Choice            Number Selected              Percent      

  0                             1779                      59.80%

  1                             1196                      40.20%
Total                         2975    

Q06. Do you think Florida’s economic development agencies should put a greater emphasis on keeping existing businesses and jobs from leaving the state, or on attracting new businesses and jobs into the state?

                          0 = Recruit new businesses    1 = Keep existing

Choice              Number Selected             Percent         

  0                             1186                       40.29%

  1                             1758                       59.71%
Total                         2944

Q07. Recently Governor Crist entered into an agreement with the Seminole Tribe to dramatically expand gambling in Florida. In return for payments to the state, the agreement allows the Seminoles to conduct Las Vegas-style games that are currently illegal under Florida law. Do you support expanding gambling in return for additional state revenues as proposed through this agreement with the Seminoles?

                           0 = No     1 = Yes  

Choice            Number Selected              Percent

  0                           1177                         39.48%

  1                           1804                         60.52%
Total                        2981

Q08. There are proposals before the Legislature to provide tax credits to various industries (film, shipyards, aviation, manufacturing, energy) in return for bringing new jobs and business activity to Florida. Do you favor tax credits if these businesses can increase jobs?  

                         0 = Disagree    1 =  Agree

Choice             Number Selected              Percent 

  0                               484                       16.30%

  1                             2485                       83.70%
Total                         2969    

Q09. Which statement best describes your feelings about local governments?

A: My local government operates efficiently and I feel I receive a fair return for the property taxes and fees I pay.

B: My local government needs to be more efficient. If property taxes are cut further, there is still waste that can be cut before core services are reduced. 
                        A = 1              B  = 0     
Choice            Number Selected                   Percent

   0 (B)                      2172                             73.43%

   1 (A)                        786                             26.57%
Total:                         2958

Q10. Which statement best describes your feelings about your local school district?

A: My local school district devotes about the right proportion of its resources to district overhead  and administration vs. classroom instruction and direct services to students.

B: My local school district should spend less on district overhead and administrative costs so a greater share of the education budget can be spent on classroom instruction and student services.

                               A = 1                         B = 0

Choice             Number Selected              Percent:

  0 (B)                     2290                          77.86%

  1 (A)                       651                          22.14%
Total:                       2941
 

Q11. Which statement best describes your feelings about homeowners insurance?

A: The state should stay out of the property insurance market, even if it results in higher premiums and the inability of some property owners to secure any insurance.

B: The state has a role to play in helping homeowners secure insurance, even if it means that all property owners may have to share in paying for financial shortfalls after years of multiple hurricanes.

                            A = 1                    B = 0

Choice            Number Selected                Percent  

  0                               1454                            50.00%

  1                               1454                            50.00%
Total                           2908    
 

Q12. State Farm Insurance Company has announced it is going out of the homeowner insurance business and canceling all policies within two years. Governor Crist has said, “Let them go” and wants to stop State Farm from selling auto, life, health or other products in our state. Do  you agree with Governor Crist?  
                                1  =  Agree          0  =  Disagree  

Choice            Number Selected                Percent

  0                                681                          22.91%

  1                              2291                          77.09%
Total                          2972

Q13. SJR 564 “End Welfare for Politicians”

Politicians from both parties who run for state-wide office now receive taxpayer dollars to help fund their personal campaigns. The amount is expected to exceed $30 million in the 2010 elections. This bill would end “welfare for politicians” and stop taxpayer funding of state political campaigns.
                                       1 = Support this bill       0 = Oppose this bill  
Choice          Number Selected                Percent

  0                            267                            8.95%

  1                          2715                          91.05%
Total                      2982

Q14. SB 216 “End Taxpayer Funded Political Advertising”         
Current law allows local governments to use taxpayer funds to purchase political advertising to tell voters which way to vote on tax increases, referenda and other issues. This bill would stop this practice but not interfere with local government official’s freedom to speak out on public issues.    
                                    1 = Support this bill      0 = Oppose this bill 
Choice          Number Selected                 Percent

  0                          170                               5.70%

  1                        2814                             94.30%
Total                    2984

Q15. “Presumption of Correctness”
Under current law, taxpayers are assumed to be wrong in disputes with the property appraiser over accuracy of property assessments. This bill would level the playing field, making the taxpayer and the tax taker equal before the law.
                                1  = Support this bill      0 =  Oppose this bill   
Choice             Number Selected             Percent                                  

  0                                103                        3.48%

  1                              2861                      96.52%
Total     2964    

Q16. “Medicaid Over Utilization, Fraud and Abuse” 

Utilization of some Medicaid services in Miami/Dade County is 20 to 80 times that of the state average, suggesting widespread abuse and waste of tax dollars. This bill would strengthen the hand of investigators and prosecutors in finding and stopping Medicaid fraud and impose stiffer penalties on offenders.
                                1 =  Support this bill       0  =  Oppose this bill  
Choice             Number Selected                 Percent 

  0                             61                               2.05%

  1                         2917                             97.95%
Total                     2978

Q17.  SB 352 “Deport criminal aliens in state prisons”

Instead of using taxpayer dollars to pay costs of keeping criminal illegal aliens in state  prisons, this bill would send them back to their countries of origin.
                              1 = Support this bill        0 = Oppose this bill  
Choice             Number Selected                         Percent
  0                            118                                      3.98%
  1                          2849                                     96.02%
Total                      2967    

Q18. SB 1182 “Stop double/triple dipping”

This bill ends the practice of allowing elected officials and public employees from simultaneously collecting retirement benefits, a retirement bonus and then returning to the same taxpayer-funded jobs at the same or higher pay.  
                                 1 = Support this bill        0 = Oppose this bill 

Choice               Number Selected                         Percent

  0                                 280                                    9.47%

  1                               2678                                  90.53%
Total                           2958

Q19. “Class Size Amendment Reform”
The class size amendment to the Constitution has cost taxpayers $13.4 billion since 2002. Currently classes are capped at a school average. In 2010 every class in each school will be limited to an inflexible number of students, adding another $1.3 billion in annual recurring costs. The bill would not repeal class size but maintain the school average, thereby avoiding additional cost mandates on school districts and giving local educators some discretion in assigning students.  
                             1 = Support this bill      0 = Oppose this bill    
Choice             Number Selected                                  Percent

  0                               380                                           12.87%

  1                              2573                                          87.13%
Total                          2953

Q20. SB 360 “Community Renewal Act”
Eliminates or reduces Department of Community Affairs regulatory controls, including   transportation concurrency requirements, to make it easier for businesses to develop and expand and create jobs.    
                      1 = Support this bill      0 = Oppose this bill
Choice             Number Selected                        Percent 

  0                              362                                12.72%

  1                            2485                                87.28%
Total                        2847

Q21.   “Streamline Government Act”
Reduces duplication, redundancy and delays in regulation of businesses and occupations, including requiring state agencies to consolidate applications, permits, and inspections.
                                 1 = Support this bill     0 = Oppose this bill

Choice            Number Selected                   Percent   

  0                            77                                  2.63%

  1                        2851                                97.37%
Total                     2928

Q22. SB 556 “Low Income Health Care Reform”
Eliminates the current practice of allowing a group comprised entirely of paid lobbyists and individuals employed by recipient organizations to develop the state’s annual funding plan for $1.4 billion in care to uninsured, low income patients.    
                              1 = Support this bill        0 =  Oppose this bill  

Choice         Number Selected                         Percent             

  0                        207                                       7.13%

  1                      2695                                     92.87%
Total                  2902

  Q23. SB 484 “Multiple Crash Dangerous Drivers”
This bill would make it easier to deny driving privileges to individuals who are at fault in three or more crashes within a specified period.    
                                   1 = Support this bill    0 = Oppose this bill   
Choice          Number Selected                       Percent 

  0                           313                                   10.71%  

  1                         2609                                   89.29%
Total                     2922

Q24. SB 960 “Remedy Against Citizens Insurance”
Allows customers of Citizens Insurance to be compensated by a court if Citizens is found to have violated state law or acted in bad faith in failing to pay claims.  
                                 1 = Support this bill              0 = Oppose this bill    
Choice              Number Selected                Percent

0                                     292                     10.14%

1                                    2587                     89.86%
Total                              2879

Q25. SB 278 “Better Management of Charter Schools”
Requires charter schools to provide timely, accurate student performance reports to parents; grades charter schools on academic results; prohibits charter operators from using student funds for wrongful purposes and requires regular, open reporting of charter school finances.
                  1 = Support this bill        0 = Oppose this bill 
Choice                      Number Selected                 Percent 

  0                                        181                            6.14%

  1                                      2765                          93.86%
Total                                  2946

Q26. Do you approve of grassroots surveys like this one designed to tell your senator how you feel about issues and legislation? (no public funds were spent to advertise or implement this survey)
                               1 = Approve       0 = Disapprove
Choice              Number Selected                    Percent     

  0                             19                                    0.64%

  1                          2957                                  99.36%
Total                      2976

Q27. Before taking this survey did you recognize the name “Don Gaetz” ?                                                 
                                          1 = Yes      0 = No   
Choice             Number Selected     Percent

  0                                   283                                   9.49%

  1                                  2700                                  90.51%
Total                              2983

Q28. Don Gaetz was elected to the Senate in 2006 to represent Northwest Florida in Tallahassee.  What is your opinion of Don Gaetz’s performance so far in the Florida Senate?
4 = Highly favorable      3 = Favorable     2 = Unfavorable     1 = Highly unfavorable

Choice                 Number Selected              Percent     

  1                                   26                        0.92%

  2                                   97                        3.43%

  3                                1506                      53.25%

  4                                1199                      42.40%
Total                            2828

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