Brown University News Bureau

The Brown University News Bureau

1996-1997 index

Distributed June 25, 1997
Contact: Tracie Sweeney


Public opinion survey

R.I. voters praise renaissance of Downtown Providence, support bill that would limit takeovers of hospitals by for-profit health-care companies

A survey of 407 Rhode Islanders conducted June 21-23 shows that 74 percent believe Downtown Providence looks better than it did five years ago and favor a bill that would restrict the number of non-profit hospitals in Rhode Island that could be purchased by for-profit health-care companies.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Seventy-four percent of Rhode Island voters believe Downtown Providence looks better compared to five years ago, according to a recent statewide survey. And, by a nearly two-to-one margin, state voters favor a bill pending in the General Assembly that would restrict for-profit health-care companies to purchasing no more than one non-profit hospital in Rhode Island.

The survey was conducted June 21 to 23, 1997, at Brown University by Darrell M. West, professor of political science and director of the John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory; Thomas J. Anton, director of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions; and Jack Combs, the center's research administrator. It was based on a statewide random sample of 407 registered voters in Rhode Island. Overall, it had a margin of error of about plus or minus five percentage points.

Almost three-quarters of registered voters in Rhode Island (74 percent) say Downtown Providence looks better than five years ago. Nine percent feel it looks worse and 17 percent are unsure. People are most likely to visit Downtown Providence for dining or entertainment than for other uses. Twenty-five percent of state residents say they have gone to Downtown Providence five times or more in the past year for dining or entertainment. Fifteen percent say they have gone to Downtown Providence for business reasons five times or more in the past year and 8 percent say they have gone five times or more for shopping trips in the past year.

By a two-to-one margin, state voters favor a General Assembly bill that would restrict for-profit health-care companies to purchasing no more than one non-profit hospital in Rhode Island. Fifty-eight percent favor this legislation, 30 percent oppose it, and 12 percent are undecided.

Governor Almond's job performance is about the same as in the center's February survey. Forty percent give him excellent or good ratings, 35 percent rate him only fair, 20 percent rate him poor, and 5 percent have no opinion. In February, 39 percent felt his performance had been excellent or good, 38 percent believed it has been only fair, 14 percent rated him poor, and 9 percent had no opinion. Newly-appointed Lt. Gov. Bernard Jackvony remains unknown to many Rhode Island voters. Twenty percent feel he is doing an excellent or good job, 17 percent rate him only fair, 4 percent give him poor marks, and 59 percent are undecided in their opinions.

Fifty percent believe Atty. Gen. Jeff Pine is doing an excellent or good job, the same as in February. Forty-five percent feel Secretary of State Jim Langevin's performance has been excellent or good, up from 41 in February. Fifty-nine percent believe Treasurer Nancy Mayer's performance has been excellent or good, compared to 60 percent in February.

Excellent/GoodOnly FairPoorUnsure
Almond4035205
Jackvony2017459
Pine50241412
Langevin4518136
Mayer5919220
Harwood21251242
Kelly22261042

In regard to federal officials, 46 percent believe President Bill Clinton is doing an excellent or good job (down from 52 percent). These numbers compare to 50 percent for Sen. John Chafee (down from 52 percent), 47 percent for Sen. Jack Reed (the same as in February), 47 percent for Congressman Patrick Kennedy (the same as in February), and 35 percent for Congressman Robert Weygand (up from 26 percent in February).

Excellent/GoodOnly FairPoorUnsure
Clinton4637134
Chafee5026915
Reed4723525
Kennedy4729159
Weygand3524437

A majority of voters (52 percent) believe the state is headed in the right direction, while 39 percent think it is off on the wrong track.

The Index of Consumer Sentiment for Rhode Island in June is 87.1, about the same as the center's last reading of 87.0 in February 1997. This is the highest reading the state has had since 1992:

September 1996:  82.3
June 1996:  78.5
February 1996:  74.3
September 1995:  73.9
June 1995 :  68.8
February 1995:  81.4
September 1994:  82.7
July 1994:  80.1
February 1994:  81.0
September 1993:  74.4
July 1993:  69.8
February 1993:  76.0
September 1992:  68.3
June 1992:  76.0

For more information, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163.

Survey Questions and Responses

We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are: 35% better off, 24% worse off financially than you were a year ago, 41% don't know or no answer

Now looking ahead - do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be: 25% better off financially, 12% worse off, 56% just about the same as now, 7% don't know or no answer

Now turning to business conditions in the state as a whole - do you think that during the next 12 months we'll have: 48% good times financially, 28% bad times, 24% don't know or no answer

Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely - that in the state as a whole: 37% we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, 43% that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, or what, 20% don't know or no answer

About the big things people buy for their homes - such as furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television, and things like that. Generally speaking, do you think now is a: 57% good, 20% bad time for people to buy major household items, 23% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bill Clinton is doing as president? 7% excellent, 39% good, 37% only fair, 13% poor, 4% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Chafee is doing as U.S. senator? 12% excellent, 38% good, 26% only fair, 9% poor, 15% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. senator? 11% excellent, 36% good, 23% only fair, 5% poor, 25% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. representative? 10% excellent, 37% good, 29% only fair, 15% poor, 9% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Robert Weygand is doing as U.S. representative? 4% excellent, 31% good, 24% only fair, 4% poor, 37% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Almond is doing as governor? 7% excellent, 33% good, 35% only fair, 20% poor, 5% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bernard Jackvony is doing as lieutenant governor? 1% excellent, 19% good, 17% only fair, 4% poor, 59% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jeff Pine is doing as attorney general? 8% excellent, 42% good, 24% only fair, 14% poor, 12% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as secretary of state? 5% excellent, 40% good, 18% only fair, 1% poor, 36% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Nancy Mayer is doing as general treasurer? 18% excellent, 41% good, 19% only fair, 2% poor, 20% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Harwood is doing as speaker of the House? 1% excellent, 20% good, 25% only fair, 12% poor, 42% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Paul Kelly is doing as Senate majority leader? 2% excellent, 20% good, 26% only fair, 10% poor, 42% don't know or no answer

Generally speaking, would you say things in Rhode Island are going in the right direction, or have they gotten off on the wrong track? 52% right direction, 39% wrong track, 9% don't know or no answer

There is a bill pending in the General Assembly that would restrict for-profit health-care companies to purchasing no more than one non-profit hospital in Rhode Island. Do you approve or disapprove of this legislation? 58% approve, 30% disapprove, 12% don't know or no answer

How many times during the past year did you go to Downtown Providence for shopping? 70% zero times, 14% once or twice, 5% three or four times, 8% five times or more, 3% don't know or no answer

How many times during the past year did you go to Downtown Providence for dining or entertainment? 39% zero times, 22% once or twice, 14% three or four times, 25% five times or more, 0% don't know or no answer

How many times during the past year did you go to Downtown Providence for business reasons, such as seeing a banker, insurance agent, or stock broker? 64% zero times, 12% once or twice, 8% three or four times, 15% five times or more, 1% don't know or no answer

Compared to five years ago, would you say that Downtown Providence looks: 74% better off, 9% worse off, 17% don't know or no answer

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