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Statewide poll results show majority of Texans back increased
funding for conservation programs and parks
Conservation leaders hail Texas voters for their willingness
to support small increases in taxes to
fund state conservation programs
Austin, Texas, March 3, 2005: A coalition of conservation
groups released a poll today showing that Texans continue
to hold positive attitudes toward a broad range of conservation
goals and policy objectives. The poll, conducted by Hill
Research Consultants of The Woodlands, Texas, was similar
to a poll the research organization conducted for one of
the sponsoring groups in 1999.
The latest poll was sponsored by three groups:
- The Texas Coalition for Conservation,
- The Trust for Public Land (sponsor of the
1999 poll), and
- The Nature Conservancy.
Dr. David B. Hill, the pollster who directed both polls,
said that the newest survey was based on telephone interviews
with 503 registered voters chosen randomly to reflect a cross-section
of the Texas electorate. The interviews were conducted December
8-9, 2004, and the poll results have a potential sampling
error of ± 4.4% at the 95% confidence level.
Texans' conservation values probed
Hill said that the survey found that Texans hold basic values
that are decidedly pro-conservation. “We measured some of
these values by asking voters to say whether they agreed
or disagreed with a battery of statements,” he said. “The
results indicate that Texans place a great emphasis on protecting
all things natural and that Texans feel some sense of urgency
for the task.”
Hill pointed particularly to Texans responses to two questions:
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90% of the voters polled agreed that, “All
of God's creations deserve protection, including
our wildlife, land, water, animal habitats, and other
natural areas.”
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77% agreed that, “If state leaders
don't purchase and protect some of Texas' natural
areas today, they will be lost forever to development.”
“The remarkable consistency of these attitudes across time
suggests that we are measuring long term values rather than
fleeting opinions,” said Hill, noting that the percentage
of those who agree with the statements is even higher than
in the 1999 poll. “These values are so well internalized
that they are likely to influence public opinion far into
the future.”
Paige Cooper of The Trust for Public Land said, “The results
underscore Texas voters' long term and overwhelming support
for parks and conservation.” Cooper also said that she believes
these values will affect policy preferences. “Texans understand
that protecting our most cherished open space will require
more funding than the $32 million annual state cap on parks
spending will allow and most citizens are willing to bear
their share of the burden," she added.
“Not only do we need to increase funding, we must do it
now,” Cooper added. “Texans are especially concerned that
our state leaders need to move faster to purchase and protect
key natural areas or they could be lost forever.”
Policy objectives get strong backing
Hill said that the poll tested popular support for the goals
or objectives of various conservation programs. The strongest
backing came for water-related objectives. For example, 71%
of the voters said they “strongly support” the goal to “Protect
land over our aquifers and around rivers, lakes, and streams
to protect the quality of our drinking water.” Similar enthusiasm
was voiced for “conserving water so we can leave for our
children and grandchildren enough pristine flowing rivers
to insure we have healthy bays, estuaries, waterfowl habitat,
and coastal economies,” a goal strongly supported by 66%
of the voters polled. A majority of voters backed
all eight of the goals tested by the researchers.
“As a lifelong Texan and conservationist, I am not at all
surprised that Texans overwhelmingly support conservation
of our precious natural resources. Part of being a Texan
is to have a deep appreciation for our land and water,” said
Carter Smith, Texas state director for The Nature Conservancy.
“I am especially heartened to see that protecting our aquifers,
rivers, lakes and streams to protect the quality of our drinking
water was seen as the No. 1 conservation goal, strongly supported
by 71% of respondents. Protecting the quality of our water
means we're protecting the quality of our lives, now and
for future generations.”
Removal of tax cap is backed
Texans understand that a cost will be attached to their
conservation values and associated policy goals and objectives. “We
found that almost 7 in every 10 Texans would be willing to
pay between $12 - $60 per year in additional taxes ‘for new
state and local parks, and to protect the state's natural
areas, including our land, water, and natural habitat,” said
Dr. Hill. Follow-up questions found that 1 in 3 Texans would
be willing to pay more than $3 per month in higher taxes.
George Bristol, President of the Texas Coalition for Conservation
said, “It should be noted that even small increases in user
taxes or fees translate into a substantial investment in
state conservation or parkland programs.”
Most Texans seem to feel that sales taxes are the best way
to pay for conservation efforts and they favor lifting the
$32 million cap on sporting goods sales tax revenues that
support Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's state and local
park programs.
All voters were asked to state whether they would favor
or oppose lifting the cap on funding for parks. Two of every
3 Texas voters (65%) would approve lifting this cap while
only 26% would oppose such a move.
Poll director Hill emphasized that the support for this
measure is broad and deep. “Strong majorities favor lifting
the cap, from every region of the state and every political
persuasion,” he said. “Even among self-described ‘fiscal
conservatives,' 56% said they'd bust this cap.”
George Bristol agrees, "It isn't surprising that Texans
voice strong positive feelings about our land, water, wildlife
and parks, and are willing to share in increased cost to
leave lasting legacies for their children and grandchildren.
Every recent poll and most ballot measures have demonstrated
that time and time again."
"When coupled with economic benefits generated by these
activities, it is clear that there should be substantial
and sustainable state financing for conservation,” he added. “By
example: a just completed survey of our Texas parks system
shows total economic activity to be $448 million
in direct expenditures, $863 million in sales impact, $496
million in resident Texans' income and 12,986 jobs. And
yet Texas' net investment in its parks is only @20.6 million
or 0.03% (three hundredths of one percent) of the state's
annual budget. It is obvious that Texas citizens think we
can and should do better than that."
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