Washington Post D.C. Poll May 2002 The latest Washington Post poll is based on random telephone interviews with 1,007 adults in the District of Columbia conducted May 15 - 19, 2002. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points. Sampling error is only one of many potential sources of error in this or any other public opinion poll. Interviewing was conducted by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa. *= less than 0.5 percent 1. Do you think things in the District of Columbia are generally going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track? Right Wrong Neither No Direction Track (vol.) Opinion 5/19/02 54 33 8 5 2/7/00 69 22 6 3 8/27/98 47 46 NA 7 5/18/98 31 58 4 6 5/4/97 20 71 6 2 5/19/96 14 78 NA 2 3/02/95 15 80 NA 5 2. In general, would you say the quality of life in the District of Columbia is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same? Better Worse About the same No opinion 5/19/02 41 19 39 2 2/7/00 52 7 38 2 5/4/97 11 47 41 1 2/29/96 8 56 33 3 9/94 10 45 44 2 12/93 5 55 38 2 1/92 5 66 28 1 12/84 49 17 28 6 3. Would you say you live in the District rather than the suburbs mainly because you like living in the District, or mainly because you're not in a position to move to the suburbs? Like living in Not in position Other No District to move (vol.) opin. 5/19/02 75 21 5 * 2/7/00 74 22 4 * 2/29/96 60 34 5 1 12/84 72 24 -- 4 4. In recent years, has your neighborhood gotten better, gotten worse, or stayed about the same? Gotten Gotten Stayed about No better worse the same opin. 5/19/02 40 14 44 2 2/7/00 37 11 49 3 2/29/96 17 24 53 6 12/93 13 31 51 5 5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way that Anthony Williams is handling his job as Mayor? Is that approve/disapprove strongly or just somewhat? -------Approve--------- -------Disapprove------- No NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opin. 5/19/02 64 22 42 28 11 17 8 2/7/00 77 36 40 17 9 7 7 Compare to Marion Barry: -------Approve--------- -------Disapprove------- No NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opin. 5/18/98 35 16 19 52 17 34 14 5/4/97 31 13 19 63 21 41 6 5/19/96 50 25 25 47 21 26 3 3/02/95 58 28 30 27 13 14 15 6. Do you think Anthony Williams deserves to be re-elected as mayor, or not? Have not decided/ No Yes No Depends on who runs opin. 5/19/02 51 32 11 5 9. (DEMOCRATS ONLY) Suppose the primary election for mayor of the district were held today and the candidates were Anthony Williams and Kevin Chavous. For whom would you vote? Anthony Kevin Other Neither Would not No Williams Chavous (vol.) (vol.) vote (vol.) opin. 5/19/02 51 31 1 7 1 9 10. (DEMOCRATS ONLY) Suppose the primary election for mayor of the district were held today and the candidates were Anthony Williams and Jack Evans. For whom would you vote? Anthony Jack Other Neither Would not No Williams Evans (vol.) (vol.) vote (vol.) opin. 5/19/02 56 22 1 8 1 11 11. Now I'm going to mention some issues that face our community, and for each, please tell me whether you think Mayor Anthony Williams is doing an excellent job, good, not-so-good, or poor job in dealing with this issue: 5/19/02 (asked of half sample except where noted) --Excellent/Good--- --Not-so-good/Poor-- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Good Poor op. a. Dealing with the D.C. Council 50 3 47 37 27 10 13 b. Improving city services 60 7 53 38 26 12 2 c. Improving the image of the city nationally 73 17 56 24 17 8 2 d. Improving the job performance of city employees 51 5 46 42 29 12 8 e. Reducing corruption in city government 40 4 35 49 31 18 11 f. Dealing with Congress 59 9 51 28 20 8 12 g. Creating more jobs for D.C. residents 43 5 38 46 29 17 11 h. Improving District public schools 31 3 28 58 38 20 11 i. Attracting new business to the District 68 16 52 26 17 9 7 j. Keeping the middle class from leaving the city 56 14 42 38 26 12 6 k. Improving race relations in the District* 53 4 49 37 24 13 10 l. Preparing the city to deal with possible future terrorist attacks* 53 6 47 34 22 12 13 *full sample Trend where available: a. Dealing with the D.C. Council ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 50 3 47 37 27 10 13 2/7/00 58 6 53 31 24 6 11 b. Improving city services ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 60 7 53 38 26 12 2 2/7/00 68 18 50 30 20 10 2 c. Improving the image of the city nationally ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 73 17 56 24 17 8 2 2/7/00 80 21 58 17 13 4 4 d. No trend e. Reducing corruption in city government ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 40 4 35 49 31 18 11 2/7/00 60 15 45 28 22 6 12 f. Dealing with Congress ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 59 9 51 28 20 8 12 2/7/00 68 10 58 22 17 5 10 g. Creating more jobs for D.C. residents ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 43 5 38 46 29 17 11 2/7/00 54 7 48 34 24 11 11 h. Improving District public schools ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 31 3 28 58 38 20 11 2/7/00 45 5 40 44 30 14 11 i. Attracting new business to the District ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 68 16 52 26 17 9 7 2/7/00 64 12 53 28 22 6 7 j. Keeping the middle class from leaving the city ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 56 14 42 38 26 12 6 2/7/00 59 8 51 33 26 7 8 k. Improving race relations in the District ---Excellent/Good--- ---Not-so-good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not good Poor opin. 5/19/02 53 4 49 37 24 13 10 2/7/00 62 7 55 30 21 9 8 l. No trend. 12. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements: Mayor Anthony Williams… 5/19/02 Agree Disagree No opinion a. Understands the concerns of people like you 52 45 4 b. Is running an ethical administration 57 33 10 c. Is not doing enough to help lower income city residents 52 40 7 Trend where available: a. Mayor Anthony Williams understands the concerns of people like you Agree Disagree No opinion 5/19/02 52 45 4 2/7/00 60 35 5 b,c. No trend. 13. Do you approve or disapprove of the way that the D.C. Council is handling its job? Is that approve/disapprove strongly or just somewhat? ----------Approve---------- --------Disapprove--------- No NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opin. 5/19/02 56 9 46 34 23 11 10 2/7/00 50 11 39 40 24 16 10 5/4/97 38 9 29 51 28 23 11 14. Do you think race relations in the District are getting better, getting worse, or are they staying about the same? Better Worse About the same No opinion 5/19/02 22 11 65 2 2/7/00 22 11 65 2 15. I am going to read you a few names. For each please tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of that person, or perhaps you don't know enough to say. 5/19/02 Favorable Unfavorable No opinion a. Marion Barry 41 53 6 b. Eleanor Holmes Norton 80 8 12 c. Anthony Williams 66 26 8 d. Kevin Chavous 46 13 41 e. Jack Evans 40 9 51 f. Peggy Cooper Cafritz 28 14 58 g. Police Chief Charles Ramsey* 73 15 12 h. Charles Ramsey* 55 12 33 *asked of half sample Trend where available: a. Marion Barry Favorable Unfavorable No opinion 5/19/02 41 53 6 2/7/00 47 46 7 8/27/98 43 51 6 5/18/98 42 48 10 5/4/97 37 58 6 5/19/96 55 41 5 2/29/96 51 42 7 3/02/95 65 29 6 6/94 46 46 8 1/92 35 58 7 b. Eleanor Holmes Norton Favorable Unfavorable No opinion 5/19/02 80 8 12 2/7/00 82 7 11 5/18/98* 77 7 16 5/4/97 81 8 12 2/29/96 77 8 15 2/95 74 8 18 6/94 78 8 14 1/92 69 12 19 *asked of half sample c. Anthony Williams Favorable Unfavorable No opinion 5/19/02 66 26 8 2/7/00 75 16 9 8/27/98 54 13 33 5/18/98* 22 8 70 *asked of half sample d. Kevin Chavous Favorable Unfavorable No opinion 5/19/02 46 13 41 8/27/98 54 15 31 5/18/98 38 11 51 e. Jack Evans Favorable Unfavorable No opinion 5/19/02 40 9 51 8/27/98 42 15 43 5/18/98 27 11 62 f,g,h. No trend. 16. How important do you think it is that a majority of the city council's members be African-American? Very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important? -------Important------ -------Not important------ No NET Very Somewhat NET Not too Not at all opin. 5/19/02 67 32 35 32 18 14 1 827//98* 57 20 37 41 25 16 2 * Among Democratic likely voters only 17. What is the biggest problem facing the district today: the one you want the mayor to work the hardest to solve? 5/19/02 2/7/00 Crime/violence 22 21 Improving schools/education 18 17 Improving city services 8 14 Creating more jobs/employment Opportunities 9 7 Terrorism/Homeland Security/ Protecting city from attacks 2 NA Housing costs/Low income housing 14 NA Economic development/improving quality of life 3 4 Improve city government/increase efficiency/less corrupt 3 4 Improving race relations/ equal opportunities 3 4 Want D.C to be self-governing/have representation in congress 3 3 Poverty/homelessness 2 3 Traffic/parking problems 1 3 Improve social services 3 3 Balanced budget/improve finances 1 2 More/affordable housing * 2 Improve tax structure 2 2 Attracting/keeping residents in the city * 1 Cooperating/working with D.C. council * 1 Improving the image of the city nationally * 1 Miscellaneous 2 2 Nothing * 5 No opinion 4 3 18. Generally speaking, how would you rate: 5/19/02 --Excellent/Good-- --Not Good/Poor-- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Poor op. a. District Police 65 8 57 31 21 10 4 b. District Public schools 26 3 24 59 35 23 15 c. Streets in good repair 43 4 39 55 33 22 2 d. 911 Emergency Response 40 6 35 32 22 10 28 e. Household garbage collection 69 13 56 21 14 7 10 f. Parks & recreation facilities 52 7 45 35 24 12 12 g. Department of Motor Vehicles 44 7 38 45 23 22 11 Full wording and trend where available: a. The job that District police are doing --Excellent/Good-- ---Not Good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Good Poor opin. 5/19/02 65 8 57 31 21 10 4 2/7/00 63 9 54 33 23 10 4 5/18/98 49 7 42 45 29 16 5 5/4/97 68 15 53 30 21 9 2 b. The job that the District public schools are doing --Excellent/Good-- ---Not Good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Good Poor opin. 5/19/02 26 3 24 59 35 23 15 2/7/00 32 3 28 56 33 23 12 5/18/98 18 3 16 70 30 39 12 5/4/97 18 2 16 74 35 39 8 c. The job that the District is doing to keep the streets in good repair --Excellent/Good-- ---Not Good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Good Poor opin. 5/19/02 43 4 39 55 33 22 2 2/7/00 32 3 29 65 35 31 3 5/18/98 21 2 19 78 34 44 2 5/4/97 18 2 16 81 32 49 1 2/29/96 22 2 20 76 26 50 2 2/95 25 2 23 69 30 39 6 d. The job the District is doing responding to 911 emergency calls No trend. e. Household garbage collection by the District --Excellent/Good-- ---Not Good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Good Poor opin. 5/19/02 69 13 56 21 14 7 10 2/7/00 57 9 48 36 20 16 7 5/18/98 60 10 50 30 17 12 11 5/4/97 56 8 48 34 18 17 9 2/29/96 49 6 43 44 21 23 7 2/95 52 11 41 34 20 14 14 f. The quality of District parks and recreation facilities --Excellent/Good-- ---Not Good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Good Poor opin. 5/19/02 52 7 45 35 24 12 12 2/7/00 56 7 49 33 22 11 11 5/18/98 47 6 41 39 22 17 14 5/4/97 52 7 45 38 24 14 9 2/29/96 45 4 41 41 24 17 14 2/95 38 3 35 42 28 14 20 g. The quality of services provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles --Excellent/Good-- ---Not Good/Poor--- No NET Excel. Good NET Not Good Poor opin. 5/19/02 44 7 38 45 23 22 11 2/7/00 54 8 45 34 18 16 13 5/18/98 38 4 35 46 21 25 15 5/4/97 37 4 33 49 25 24 14 19. Have you, or has anyone in your immediate family, ever been treated at D.C. General Hospital? Yes No No opin. 5/19/02 34 65 1 20. (IF EVER TREATED AT D.C. GENERAL HOSPITAL) Now that DC General is closed, is it more difficult for you and your family to get medical care, or hasn't it made much of a difference? More Not much Easier No difficult difference (vol.) opin. 5/19/02 35 62 1 3 22. (HALF SAMPLE) How concerned are you about the possibility there will be more major terrorist attacks in the United States - is that something that worries you a great deal, somewhat, not too much or not at all? ---------Concerned--------- ------Not concerned----- No NET Grt.deal Somewhat NET Not much None op. 5/19/02 71 30 40 29 17 12 * Compare to national trend: ---------Concerned--------- ------Not concerned----- No NET Grt.deal Somewhat NET Not much None op. 4/21/02 73 30 43 26 18 9 * 3/10/02 70 23 47 30 21 9 1 12/19/01 70 27 43 29 22 8 1 10/15/01 77 35 43 23 14 9 0 10/9/01 82 36 46 18 12 6 * 10/7/01 81 41 40 18 13 4 1 9/27/01* 83 43 39 17 12 5 * 9/11/01 87 49 38 12 7 4 1 6/13/97 62 21 41 38 24 14 * 6/2/97 63 22 41 37 28 9 * 8/5/96 74 31 43 26 18 8 * 4/20/95 78 38 40 21 16 5 1 *9/27/01 and previous: "How concerned are you about the possibility there will be more major terrorist attacks in this country." 23. (HALF SAMPLE) How concerned are you about the possibility there will be more major terrorist attacks in the Washington area - is that something that worries you a great deal, somewhat, not too much or not at all? ---------Concerned--------- ------Not concerned----- No NET Grt.deal Somewhat NET Not much None op. 5/19/02 63 29 34 37 23 14 1 24. (HALF SAMPLE) How confident are you in the federal government's ability to respond effectively to a large-scale terrorist attack in the United States - very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident or not confident at all? -------Confident------- ------Not confident----- No NET Very Somewhat NET Not too At all opin. 5/19/02 61 15 46 36 22 14 3 25. (HALF SAMPLE) How confident are you in the District government's ability to respond effectively to a large-scale terrorist attack in the Washington area - very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident or not confident at all? -------Confident------- ------Not confident----- No NET Very Somewhat NET Not too At all opin. 5/19/02 52 11 41 45 30 15 3 26. How safe from terrorism do you feel where you live: very safe, somewhat safe, not too safe, or not safe at all? -------Safe-------- --------Not safe-------- No NET Very Somewhat NET Not too Not at all opinion 5/19/02 70 27 43 27 17 11 2 Compare to national trend: -------Safe-------- --------Not safe-------- No NET Very Somewhat NET Not too Not at all opinion 5/19/02 93 61 32 6 4 2 1 City Dwellers 90 57 33 10 6 4 * 27. Have you or anyone in your immediate family talked about leaving Washington because of concerns about future terrorism? (IF YES) Have you seriously considered leaving, or just talked about it? Seriously Just Have not No considered talked considered opin. 5/19/02 5 11 84 * 28. As you may have heard, the District is competing to get a major league baseball team whose games would be played in the city. Do you think it would be mainly a good thing for DC to have a major league baseball team, or mainly a bad thing? Good Bad No opin. 5/19/02 84 11 6 29. Would you favor or oppose using city funds to help finance a baseball stadium? Favor Oppose No opin. 5/19/02 48 47 4 30. Do you favor or oppose the District of Columbia becoming a separate state? Favor Oppose No opin. 5/19/02 66 27 7 2/7/00 58 36 6 5/18/98 52 38 10 5/4/97 46 47 7 2/29/96 48 39 13 2/95 45 48 7 12/93 51 41 8 31. Do you favor or oppose giving the District the same Congressional representation as the fifty states, including two U.S. Senators and a House member with full voting privileges? Favor Oppose No opin. 5/19/02 86 11 3 32. As you may know, 'gentrification' is the process in which developers or higher income families buy and fix up homes or apartment buildings in working class city neighborhoods. Some say (this type of redevelopment is good because it may draw new businesses to the area, increase home values and encourage higher income residents to move into the neighborhood). Others say (this type of redevelopment is bad because it may cause rents and property taxes to increase, and force lower income residents to move out of the neighborhood.) In general, would you say this kind of redevelopment is mainly a good thing or mainly a bad thing? Mainly Mainly Neither Both No Good Bad (vol) (vol) opin. 5/19/02 55 34 2 6 3 33. Is this kind of redevelopment happening in your own neighborhood, or not? Yes No No opin. 5/19/02 48 50 2 34. (IF YES) Thinking about your own personal housing situation, is the redevelopment in your neighborhood mainly a good thing for you or mainly a bad thing for you? Mainly Mainly Neither Both No Good Bad (vol) (vol) opin. 5/19/02 65 25 5 4 1 35. Has the redevelopment in your neighborhood caused you to consider moving? (IF YES) Have you seriously considered moving, or just talked about it? Seriously Just Have not No considered talked considered opin. 5/19/02 13 9 78 * 36. (IF SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED MOVING) Do you think you would move to a new place in the District, or would you move out of the District? In the Out of No District District opin. 5/19/02 51 47 1 37. Do you think Anthony Williams is more interested in attracting higher income residents to the city, more interested in responding to the needs of the city's working class, or is he equally interested in doing both? Attracting higher Responding to needs Both No income residents of working class equally opin. 5/19/02 41 4 50 4