No Title 1724
Supplement to “The Kentucky Living Survey”
In the center of the October Kentucky Living, readers were asked to fill out and mail in a reader opinion survey the magazine takes every four years. By the October 20 deadline, 7,571 readers sent in surveys. Following are the questions and answers and the results of that survey.
1. In the year 2000, Kentucky voters approved a constitutional amendment changing the meetings of the Kentucky Legislature from every other year to every year. What is your opinion of this change? (Check one.)
65.8%—Keep annual sessions of the legislature as they are now.
21.4%—Go back to the old system where the legislature met every two years.
12.9%—Undecided / No opinion.
2. Since the year 2000 the Kentucky Legislature has held four special sessions in addition to its regular annual meetings. Which of the following best represents your opinion of these sessions? (Check one.)
14.6%—On the whole they have been worthwhile and necessary.
54.6%—They have made some positive accomplishments but those changes could have been made as part of the regular session.
30.8%—They were a waste of time and money.
3. What is your opinion of the decision to use the U.S. military to remove Saddam Hussein from political leadership in Iraq? (Check one.)
59.9%—It was the correct decision.
30.6%—It was the wrong decision.
9.4%—Undecided/No Opinion.
4. Which of the following three positions most closely represents your personal view of global warming? (Check one.)
50.1%—Global warming is a serious issue for the planet and we should be doing everything we can to reduce greenhouse gases even if it means major lifestyle changes.
39.5%—Global warming is a real phenomenon but it is most likely just a naturally occurring cycle of our planet and there’s little mankind can do to change it.
10.3%—Global warming is nothing more than a bunch of hype created by environmental extremists to try to promote their agenda.
5. The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) is a state regulatory agency that sets electric rates and approves service standards for your local electric cooperative. In most other states, electric cooperatives are not regulated since the boards of directors that govern them are elected by members themselves. The cost of PSC regulation and related legal costs associated with regulation add up to about $5 a year to your electric bill. What is your opinion? (Check one.)
63.9%—Continue to pay for PSC regulation.
36.1%—Permit my local electric co-op board to set rates and standards.
6. Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio allow gambling on riverboats or in casinos and advertise in Kentucky to attract players. Should Kentucky legalize expanded gambling to keep the money spent on gambling in Kentucky? (Check one.)
43.8%—Yes.
48.5%—No.
7.6%—Undecided/No Opinion.
7. How do you feel about the following statement about agriculture in Kentucky, with 1 being Strongly Disagree and 5 being Strongly Agree: In the past several years Kentucky agriculture has changed so that it relies less on tobacco income, and this increase in the variety of types of farm production has been good for the state’s economy.
(Highlighted decimal number in between the whole numbers represents the average value of the responses.)
Strongly………………………………………………………………Strongly
Disagree………………………………………………………………..Agree
….1…………….2…………….3..3.3………………..4……………..5
8. In general, do you believe our system of education in Kentucky adequately prepares students for a good future in our society? (Check one.)
39.5%—Yes.
50.2%—No.
10.4%—Undecided/No Opinion.
9. How would you rate the degree of success our Kentucky public education system has had in the following educational and extracurricular activities areas? (Circle the number that best reflects your response for each area.)
(Highlighted decimal number in between the whole numbers represents the average value of the responses.)
Extremely………………Somewhat…………………Moderately………………Not Very………………..Not at all
Successful………………Successful…………………Successful……………….Successful……………..Successful
Basic Education
……..1……..……………………..2……..…………………..3…….……3.3…………….4……………….………………5
Social Skills
……..1……..……………………..2…………..……………..3..3.0………………………4……………….………………5
Moral Values
……..1……..……………………..2..2.0……….………….3….…………………………4……………….………………5
Preparing Students For Employment
……..1……..……………………..2…………………..2.9..3…………………………….4……………….………………5
Sports Competition
……..1……..……………………..2……..…………………..3………………..….3.8….4………………..………………5
Club Activities
……..1……..……………………..2…………..……………..3………….3.4………….…4……………….………………5
10. Do you favor the death penalty for murderers? (Check one.)
74.4%—Yes.
14.5%—No.
11.1%—Undecided/No Opinion.
11. The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville in the past year allowed employee benefits to cover domestic partners, including same-sex partners. Which statement most closely reflects your view:
23.1%—Public institutions should be allowed to offer benefits to their employees that cover same-sex couples.
66.2%—Public institutions should not be allowed to offer benefits to employees when it covers same-sex couples.
10.7%—Unsure/No opinion.
12. In the May 2007 primary election about 1 in 5 voters went to the polls. Which reason do you think comes closest to explaining why turnout was so low? (Check one.)
30.5%—People are turned off by negative campaigning and media coverage.
27.1%—People don’t believe their single vote makes much of a difference.
20.0%—People are frustrated with incumbent officeholders.
18.1%—People just aren’t interested.
2.9%—People are very busy and many just don’t have time to get to the polls.
1.4%—Undecided/No Opinion.
13. My voting status is: (Check one.)
91.7%—Registered and plan to vote in November.
3.5%—Registered and will not vote in November.
4.9%—Not registered.
14. Between the two leading candidates for governor of Kentucky, who do you plan to vote for in the November election? (Check one.)
36.9%—Steve Beshear, Democrat.
32.8%—Governor Ernie Fletcher, Republican.
23.9%—Undecided/No Opinion.
6.4%—I do not plan to vote.
15. How important do you consider ethics issues to be in the upcoming election for governor of Kentucky, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important?
(Highlighted decimal number in between the whole numbers represents the average value of the responses.)
Not at all ………………………………………………………………………………….Extremely
Important…………………………………………………………………………………Important
……1………………..2……………………..3…………………….4…4.2………………..5
16. What best describes the type of access you have to a personal
computer? (Check one.)
51.4%—I have a computer in my home
11.8%—I do not have a computer in my home but have access to one at a library, work, or other place.
13.4%—I have access to a computer both at work and at home.
23.3%—I do not use a computer.
17. Many Kentuckians have computer or other access to the Internet. How do you access the Internet? (Check all that apply.)
35.3%—I have a high-speed (cable, DSL, or satellite) connection to the Internet in my home.
30%—I do not use the Internet.
24.4%—I have a dial-up modem connection to the Internet in my home.
10.9%—I access the Internet at a job outside my home.
7.7%—I access the Internet at a public library.
18. If you use the Internet, which of the following describes how you use the services it offers? (Check all that apply.)
79.1%—Educational research and information.
44.4%—Entertainment.
39.2%—Purchasing items on-line with a credit card.
32.5%—Price and shopping information, but no on-line purchases.
28.5%—Electronic information.
9.9%—Home-based business.
19. Touchstone Energy is an alliance of electric cooperatives across Kentucky and the nation that have joined together to create a “brand” that identifies their electric services as being sold by a co-op utility. Please indicate your level of awareness/knowledge of Touchstone Energy. (Check one.)
30.1%—Not at all aware.
55.9%—Somewhat aware.
14.0%—Very aware.
20. What is your primary source of information about Touchstone Energy? (Check one.)
69.9%—Kentucky Living magazine.
14.1%—Television advertisements.
8.5%—Bill inserts.
2.4%—Radio advertisements.
5.1%—Other.
21. What level of importance does your household place on conserving energy around the house, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being “very important” and 1 being “not at all important?”
(Highlighted decimal number in between the whole numbers represents the average value of the responses.)
Not at all…………………………………………………………………………………………………..Very
Important……………………………………………………………………………………………..Important
……..1………..2………..3………..4………..5………..6………..7…….8…8.3………9………..10
22. Which of the following statements accurately reflect your views and practices about energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs? (Check all that apply.)
62.2%—I currently have one or more compact fluorescent bulbs in my home.
22.6%—I use compact fluorescent bulbs and have saved money as a result.
12.5%—I do not have any compact fluorescent bulbs in my home.
11.9%—I currently do not have any compact fluorescent bulbs in my home, but plan to buy some.
7.1%—I do not plan to use compact fluorescent bulbs because of cost, technical, or other reasons.
23. The construction (and cost) of new power plants can be postponed if customers allow their electric utility to help them manage their use of electricity at “peak” times when demand for electricity is high and electricity supplies are low (such as hot summer days and cold winter nights.)
One method of managing peak electricity demand uses a special device installed by the utility to briefly turn off large electrical devices such as home water heaters or air conditioners during times of peak demand. Would you be willing to volunteer to participate in this type of program?
14.8%—Highly willing to participate
28.5%—Somewhat willing to participate
11.6%—Somewhat unwilling to participate
20.4%—Highly unwilling to participate
25.1%—Unsure
24. Another method of managing peak electricity demand uses a new type of electric meter to charge more for electricity when demand for power is high and to charge less for electricity when demand for power is low. Would you be willing to volunteer to participate in this type of program?
9.4%—Highly willing to participate
24.5%—Somewhat willing to participate
12.5%—Somewhat unwilling to participate
28.0%—Highly unwilling to participate
25.7%—Unsure
25. Considering all of your experiences to date with your local electric cooperative, how satisfied are you with it? (Please answer this question by circling a number on the 10-point scale below where 1 means “very dissatisfied” and 10 means “very satisfied.”)
(Highlighted decimal number in between the whole numbers represents the average value of the responses.)
Very……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Very
Dissatisfied………………………………………………………………………………………………….Satisfied
……..1………..2………..3………..4………..5………..6………..7………..8..8.2……….9………..10
To read the Kentucky Living January 2008 feature that goes along with this supplement, go to The Kentucky Living Survey
