Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain

March 29, 2022

Constituent Survey Results

This year, nearly 200 friends and neighbors from across House District 21 completed our constituent survey! We appreciate your input and will keep your views in mind as the session continues. Having compiled the information and analyzed the results, we have some key takeaways in this email and in this week's video update:

Watch my latest video update

72% of West Anchorage constituents gave the Governor's FY2022 budget proposal a failing grade (D or F).
72% support using Permanent Fund earnings to help pay for essential services.
82% believe we should not pay a statutory dividend and 75% chose increasing the dividend payment as their last choice for using any new revenue.
82% of West Anchorage constituents believe Alaska should continue to fully support Medicaid expansion.

Here are the results of our survey:

Question #1

Question #2

Question #3

Balancing the state budget will likely require a contribution of spending cuts, changes to the dividend, and new revenue. For the following choices (A, B, C), what best reflects your position:

A. Budget Cuts

B. Dividends

C. New Revenue

Question #4

In what areas of government do you think the legislature should prioritize spending? (1 being highest to 12 being lowest)*

K-12 Education (weighted average: 3.33)
Public Safety (weighted average: 4.55)
Roads and Road Maintenance (weighted average: 4.78)
Early Education (Pre-K) (weighted average: 4.81)
Health and Social Services (weighted average: 4.83)
Infrastructure Projects (weighted average: 5.75)
Senior Benefits (weighted average: 5.94)
University of Alaska (weighted average: 6.09)
Alaska Marine Highway (weighted average: 6.69)
State Parks (weighted average: 6.70)
Oil and Gas Tax Credits (weighted average: 8.39)
$4,200 Permanent Fund Dividend (weighted average: 8.59)

“Other” responses included: Climate Change, Alternative Energy, Environmental Conservation, Children and Family Services, and Recidivism Reduction Programs.

*We analyzed these results using a “weighted average” formula in which the lower number shows stronger support. The weighted average formula calculates the average value of particular responses. Applied to the ranked choices, the lower number reflects greater support for the choice and the higher number reflects less support. For example, the “K-12 Education” response has a weighted average of 3.33, which shows that many constituents ranked this choice as their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice.

Question #5

Which of the following new revenue measures would you support? (1 being highest to 5 being lowest)

Income Tax (weighted average: 1.71)

Sales Tax (weighted average: 1.86)

State Lottery (weighted average: 2.09)

Education Head Tax (weighted average: 2.15)

Increased Motor Fuels Tax (weighted average: 2.16)

I do not support any of these measures (weighted average: 0.24)*

*16% chose "I do not support any of these measures" as their first or only choice.

Question #6

If we raise new revenue through a sales tax, income tax, modifications to oil and gas taxes, or other revenue measure, we should use the new revenue to: (1 being highest to 4 being lowest)

Pay for public education: teachers, schools, and training (weighted average: 1.62)

Pay for public safety: police, troopers, and prosecutors (weighted average: 2.11)

Pay for infrastructure projects: roads, airports, and ports (weighted average: 2.23)

Increase the dividend payment and help pay for dividends (weighted average: 3.06)*

*72% chose increasing the dividend payment as their last choice for using any new revenue.