Texans worried about their economic condition, housing concerns high on list

A new public opinion poll found that 37 percent Texans say their family’s economic situation is worse than one year ago and only slightly more than half are “very confident” that they can pay the rent or mortgage.

The Third Annual Texas Lyceum Poll, conducted from June 5th-June 12th, 2009, focused on Texans’ attitudes on a variety of social and economic issues. Three out of four said they are registered voters.

Housing and foreclosures tied for second place in the list of the most important economic issues facing Texas today along with health care and immigration (too many people living here illegally). The most important issue was unemployment and the lack of jobs.

When asked about the most important issue facing their family, affordable housing came in relatively high on the list. beating out the cost of education, retirement planning and gas and fuel prices.

Texans surveyed were about evenly divided about the need for increased government regulation of major financial companies.

Here are the detailed results of these questions.

Question: Now thinking about you and your family’s economic situation, would you say that you are better off, worse off, or about the same economically compared to a year ago?

	
17% Better off.
	
37% Worse off.
	
46% About the same.
	
- Don’t know/Refused/NA.

Question: First, how confident do you feel about your ability to pay your mortgage or rent?

	
53% Very confident.
	
25% Somewhat confident.
	
11% Not very confident.
	
4% Not at all confident
	
7% Don’t Know / Refused / NA

Question: What do you think is the most important economic issue facing Texas today?

	
41% Unemployment/Lack of Jobs/Jobs.
	
6% Housing/Foreclosures.
	
6% Health Care.
	
6% Immigration (Too many people living here illegally).
	
5% Financial Issues-Budget/Debt.
	
5% Taxes.
	
5% Energy/Utilities (Oil/Natural Gas)/Availability.
	
4% Poor Government/Would like New Government.
	
4% Cost of Education/Lack of Funding.
	
4% Gas Prices/Fuel.
	
4% Other.
	
3% Economy (General).
	
3% Cost of Living (Grocery Prices/Inflation).
	
3% Wages (Not enough, keep getting cut).

Question: What do you think is the most important economic issue facing YOU AND YOUR FAMILY today?

	
27% Unemployment/Lack of Jobs/Jobs.
	
8% Health Care/Being Available in Future.
	
7% Financial Issues-Budget/Debt.
	
6% Taxes.
	
6% Cost of Living/Inflation.
	
5% Wages (Not enough, keep getting cut).
	
5% Economy (General).
	
3% Affordable Housing.
	
3% Cost of Education/Lack of Funding.
	
3% Retirement Planning.
	
3% None/Nothing.
	
2% Governance/Leadership.
	
2% Government Financial Issues/Overspending.
	
2% Gas/Fuel Prices.
	
2% Other.
	
1% Stock Market/Investments.
	
1% Cost of Energy/Utilities (Oil/Natural Gas).
	
1% Poor Programs (Social Services).
	
13% Don’t Know/NA

Question: Is increased government regulation of major financial companies something you would support or oppose? (Follow-up: Is that strongly support/oppose or just somewhat?)

	
29% Strongly favor
	
18% Somewhat favor
	
17% Somewhat oppose
	
29% Strongly oppose
	
7% Don’t Know / Refused / NA

The overall margin of error for the sample is plus or minus 3.34 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

The Texas Lyceum, a non-profit, non-partisan group, is a statewide leadership organization focused on identifying the next generation of top Texas leaders. The Lyceum consists of 96 men and women from throughout the state who begin their six-year terms while under the age of 46, and who have demonstrated leadership in their communities and professions, together with a deep commitment to Texas.

The Texas Lyceum acts as a catalyst to bring together diverse opinions and expertise to focus on national and state issues, and seeks to emphasize constructive private sector, public sector, and individual responses to the issues.

To accomplish these purposes, the Lyceum conducts periodic public forums, publishes the Lyceum Journal, commissions The Texas Lyceum Poll, and convenes programs for its Directors to explore and discuss key economic and social issues of the state and nation.