Traffic Congestion Rated Most Important Issue in Survey

Fifty-third District constituents responding to Delegate Scott’s annual issues survey overwhelmingly rated traffic congestion as the most important problem facing the area.  Education funding, development, and property taxes finished in a virtual tie as public concerns, but far behind traffic.

Nearly 600 people responded to the survey, either by mail or via the internet.  While not a scientific sampling, the results probably are a reasonably accurate reflection of the views of the majority of area’s residents.  However, it may also be fair to assume that, given a wider sampling, some of the results might have been less one-sided.

In perhaps the most interesting result, a slight majority of the respondents favored using more nuclear power, while only 21% were definitely opposed.  Over 22 years now have passed since the Chernobyl disaster and nearly 30 since the Three Mile Island Incident, so anxieties over nuclear energy may have diminished with time.

Fifty-eight percent of the respondents favored legalization of physician-assisted suicide.  Thus far only Oregon and Washington have approved this measure.  Such action is not explicitly criminalized in Virginia, although there is a statute which imposes civil sanctions on persons assisting in a suicide.

Not every respondent answered every question.  Questions on immigration and education drew the highest number of responses.  Questions on energy and the death penalty drew the lowest, though the difference was only around 6%.

Survey questions are shown below in boldface.  All percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Which two of the following do you feel are the most important issues or problems facing our area today?

Traffic Congestion  -  72

Development  -  29

Education Funding – 29

Property Taxes  -  28

Lack of Affordable Housing  –  25

Increased Funding for Mental Health Services  -  12

How Should the General Assembly respond to projected budget shortfalls?

Give localities power to initiate an income tax of 1/4%  -  19

Allow localities to raise the sales tax by 1/2%  -  43

Require local governments to solve the problem with existing resources  -  32

No opinion  -  6

Would you favor increasing gas taxes dedicated to transportation?

Yes  -  73     No  -  23     No Opinion  -  4

Would you favor taking funds away from other services such as education, human services, and public safety to make those funds available for transportation?

Yes  -  8      No  -  73     Need more information  -  19

Do you support transit oriented development (i.e., higher density, mixed residential and commercial development at Metro stations such as Dunn Loring) because it will mitigate congestion?

Support  -  78     Oppose  -  13     No Opinion  -  9

Should Virginia taxpayers subsidize alternative forms of energy such as solar, wind, ethanol, and/or bio-diesel?

Support  -  70     Oppose  -  21     No Opinion  -  9

Nuclear Energy:  Which statement is closer to your opinion?

I favor more nuclear power in Virginia to meet the state’s energy needs   -   51

I oppose more nuclear power generation in Virginia   -   21

I need more information   -   28

The US military opposes drilling for oil and natural gas within 20 or so miles of Virginia’s coastline for security reasons.  Others say drilling will help cut reliance on foreign oil and gas suppliers and therefore increase security.  What is your opinion?

Virginia should allow off-shore drilling for natural gas and oil   -   30

Virginia should allow drilling for natural gas but not allow drilling for oil   -   11

Virginia should oppose off-shore drilling for both   -   59

Virginia should allow physician-assisted suicide.

Yes  -  58     No  -  24     Don’t know  -  18

Should the state ban housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation?

Yes  -  71     No  -  22     Don’t know  -  7

Virginia should appropriate funds to pay for tax credits or vouchers to assist parents to send their children with disabilities to private or religious schools of their choice.

Yes  -  31     No  -  52     Don’t know  -  17

Localities should be allowed to ban weapons in public buildings.

Yes  -  88     No  -  8      Don’t know  -  4

Death Penalty:  Which statement is closest to your opinion?

Virginia’s death penalty laws are satisfactory   -   27

Virginia’s death penalty laws are not tough enough   -  9

Virginia should ban the death penalty   -   44

Virginia should place a moratorium on the penalty until it is more fairly administered   -   20