1.) Do you think Pennsylvania’s current civil justice systems works well, or do you think there are abuses of the legal system significant enough to merit reform?
11% – Systems works well
74% – System needs reform
15% – No Opinion
2.) Efforts are underway in Harrisburg to reform Pennsylvania’s system of civil justice to cut down on lawsuit abuse. How important are these efforts to the future profitablity of your company?
59% – Very Important
31% – Somewhat Important
5% – Somewhat Unimportant
5% – Not Important
3.) Has your company been the target of what you would consider to have been a Afrivolous@ lawsuit at any point over the past two years?
71% – Yes
28% – No
1% – Don’t Know
If AYES,@ what has it cost your company to defend itself against this/these suit(s)?
22% – Under $10,000
21% – $10,000 – $25,000
18% – $25,000 – $50,000
13% – $50,000 – $100,000
18% – $100,000 – $250,000
8% – Over $250,000
4.) Has your company changed or altered its business practices to make it less vulnerable to lawsuits?
63% – Yes
32% – No
5% – Don’t Know
5.) Do you think lawsuit abuse happens more frequently or less frequently in Pennsylvania relative to other states?
32% – More Frequently
66% – About the same
2% – Less Frequently
6.) Should judges be given the power to impose penalties on people, businesses and lawyers who file frivolous lawsuits?
95% – Yes
4% – No
1% – No Opinion
7.) Should the Pennsylvania General Assembly enact guidelines that juries would be required to follow when imposing punitive damages in civil cases?
87% – Yes
4% – No
9% – No Opinion
8.) In general, do you think business conditions in Pennsylvania are better, the same or worse than they were six months ago?
33% – Better
55% – Same
9% – Worse
3% – No Opinion
9.) Looking ahead six months, do you think business conditions will be better, the same or worse than they are now?
28% – Better
53% – Same
12% – Worse
7% – No Opinion
10.) Are employment levels at your company higher, the same or lower than they were six months ago?
40% – Higher
39% – Same
20% – Lower
1% – No Opinion
11.) Loooking ahead six months, do you anticipate that employment levels at your company will be higher, stay the same or be lower?
40% – Higher
48% – Same
10% – Lower
2% – No Opinion
12.) Have your company’s sales increased, stayed relatively the same or decreased during the past six months?
52% – Increased
28% – Same
15% – Decreased
5% – No Opinion
13.) Do you expect your company’s sales to increase, stay relatively the same or decrease during the coming six months?
56% – Increase
30% – Same
6% – Decrease
6% – No Opinion
14.) At any point in the past six months has your company considered moving all or part of its Pennsylvania operations to another state?
7% – Did Move Some Operations
16% – Considered Moving Some Operations
5% – Considered Moving All Operations
0% – Moved Operations into Pennsylvania
72% – Didn’t Consider any Moves
15.) Do you foresee at any point in the coming six months your company considering moving all or part of its Pennsylvania operations to another state?
1% – May Move All Operations
22% – May Move Some Operations
77% – Not Considering Any Moves
0% – May Move Into Pennsylvania
16.) In general, do you have a positive, negative or no opinion or the job performance of the following individuals:
| POSITIVE | NEGATIVE | NO OPINION | |
| President Bill Clinton | 22% | 74% | 4% |
| Alan Greenspan | 91% | 4% | 5% |
| U.S. Senator Arlen Specter | 28% | 60% | 12% |
| U.S. Senator Rick Santorum | 62% | 22% | 16% |
| Governor Tom Ridge | 77% | 17% | 6% |
17.) In General, do you have a positive, negative or no opinion of the job performances of the following institutions?
| POSITIVE | NEGATIVE | NO OPINION | |
| United State Senate | 33% | 60% | 7% |
| U.S. House of Representatives | 46% | 48% | 6% |
| Pennsylvania Senate | 55% | 27% | 18% |
| PA House of Representatives | 52% | 31% | 17% |
The Lincoln Institute’s Spring 1999 Keystone Business Climate Survey was conducted between March 1, 1999 and March 22, 1999. A total of 172 Pennsylvania-based companies employing over 125 individuals responded to the survey.