1.) Do you think a high speed train service line should be developed linking Harrisburg with Philadelphia & Pittsburgh?

YES - 69%
NO - 15%
DON'T KNOW - 16%
REFUSED - 1%

2.) Do you think a light rail commuter line should be developed linking Carlisle, Harrisburg, Lancaster & York?

YES - 79%
NO - 11%
DON'T KNOW - 10%
REFUSED - 1%

3.) When you travel by air, would you be more likely to fly from Harrisburg International Airport, from Baltimore International Airport, or from the Philadelphia International Airport?

HARRISBURG (HIA) - 54%
BALTIMORE (BWI) - 28%
PHILADELPHIA - 1%
COMBINATION - 8%
OTHER - 2%
DON'T TRAVEL BY AIR - 7%
REFUSED - 1%

4.) Do you think the number of flights and destinations from Harrisburg International Airport should be increased?

YES - 63%
NO - 9%
DON'T KNOW - 27%
REFUSED - 1%

5.) Do you think last spring's increase in gasoline taxes and driver license fees to help fund highway construction was justified?

YES - 52%
NO - 38%
DON'T KNOW - 10%

6.) Do you think school districts in Central Pennsylvania are currently the right size, should they be broken up, or consolidated?

ABOUT RIGHT SIZE - 49%
|BROKEN UP/SMALLER - 26%
CONSOLIDATED/MADE
COUNTYWIDE - 11%
DON'T KNOW - 14%
REFUSED - 1%

7.) Do you favor or oppose the concept of school choice which would give parents the right to send their children to public, private or parochial schools?

FAVOR - 59%
OPPOSE - 36%
DON'T KNOW - 4%
REFUSED - 1%

8.) Do you believe public schools should adopt a clear set of academic standards which must be met for students to advance from grade to grade?

YES - 92%
NO - 5%
DON'T KNOW - 4%

9.) Do you think the number of municipal governments should be reduced through mergers, or should they maintain their independence?

REDUCED THROUGH MERGERS - 28%
MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE - 64%
DON'T KNOW - 9%

10.) Do you think YOUR municipality, that is YOUR city, township or borough should merge with a surrounding municipality, or should it remain independent?

MERGE - 22%
REMAIN INDEPENDENT - 70%
DON'T KNOW - 8%
REFUSED - 1%

11.) Do you think your municipality is on the right track and doing a good job when it comes to meeting the needs of your community?

YES - 78%
NO - 17%
DON'T KNOW - 5%
REFUSED - 1%

12.) Do you feel more regional cooperation with other municipalities in your geographic area would be desirable?

YES - 67%
NO - 18%
DON'T KNOW - 15%
REFUSED - %

13.) Should municipal governments be required by the state to merge or consolidate, or should such decisions be made by local elected officials?

REQUIRED BY STATE - 7%
DECIDED LOCALLY - 81%
DON'T KNOW - 10%
REFUSED - 2%

14.) Do you think the power of LOCAL government over zoning decisions should be eliminated and placed in the hands of the COUNTY?

YES - 30%
NO - 59%
DON'T KNOW - 11%
REFUSED - 1%

15.) Do you think local governments should be eliminated and replaced with one countywide government?

YES - 13%
NO - 80%
DON'T KNOW - 7%

16.) Which level of government do you think operates most efficiently, the federal, state, county or local level of government?

FEDERAL - 5%
STATE - 21%
COUNTY - 9%
LOCAL - 44%
NONE - 10%
DON'T KNOW - 11%
REFUSED - 1%

17.) Should PA voters be given the right to vote by referendum on key public policy decisions to be made by their county, local government or school district?

YES - 80%
NO - 8%
DON'T KNOW - 10%
REFUSED - 1%

18.) Do you feel the property tax-based system currently utilized by local government in PA is fair and equitable to most segments of your community?

YES - 41%
NO - 50%
DON'T KNOW  - 8%
REFUSED - 1%  

19.) If local property taxes had to be replaced with another tax, would you favor a local earned income tax, a local sales tax, or a combination?

INCOME TAX - 24%
SALES TAX - 12%
COMBINATION - 44%
DON'T KNOW - 17%
REFUSED - 4%

20.) Do you think sports stadiums should be paid for with public money or should they be financed privately?

PUBLIC MONEY - 5%
PRIVATELY FINANCED - 90%
DON'T KNOW - 4%
REFUSED - 1%

21.) Do you believe PA should sell state liquor stores to private enterprises to help finance the construction of sports stadiums?

YES - 24%
NO - 68%
DON'T KNOW - 8%

22.) Should there be a statewide referendum to allow voters to decide whether or not tax dollars will be spent to build new sports stadiums?

YES - 79%
NO - 18%
DON'T KNOW - 2%

23.) Do you, yourself, favor or oppose a "right to work" law for Pennsylvania?

FAVOR - 81%
OPPOSE - 14%
DON'T KNOW - 3%
REFUSED - 2%

24.) Do you agree or disagree with the arrangement that requires public employees to support a union in order to work for a government in PA?

AGREE - 18%
DISAGREE - 76%
DON'T KNOW - 4%
REFUSED - 2%

25.) Should unions be forbidden from deducting money from union workers pay without their permission, then use that money for political purposes?

YES - 72%
NO - 25%
DON'T KNOW - 2%
REFUSED - 1%

This survey was conducted September 13-14, 1998. A total of 311 registered voters in Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties were surveyed.