Southern Maryland
Association of REALTORS®
Charles County Issues Survey
American Strategies Incorporated and Myers Research | Strategic Services, LLC designed and administered this telephone
survey conducted by professional interviewers. The survey reached 400 adults, 18 years or older, who are registered to vote in
Charles County. The survey was conducted March 15-18, 2012. The margin of error associated with these data at a 95 percent
confidence level is +/- 4.9 percent. The margin of error for subgroups is higher and varies.
Executive Summary
•
Growth and development issues are top of mind. The problems associated with population
growth – overdevelopment, transportation, construction, education – dominate the list of
issues voters want their elected officials to do something about.
•
Traffic the overwhelming concern. Nearly everyone expresses at least some concern over
traffic and congestion. A solid majority (57 percent) are very concerned, underscoring the
intensity associated with this issue.
•
Residents conflicted between controls on growth and protecting private property rights.
There is general agreement on the need for some controls on development (89 percent
agree), and two-thirds of voters say home construction should be limited in outlying areas
and encouraged in already developed areas. But at the same time most voters place a high
priority on protecting private property rights and reject the idea that businesses and homes
should be build closer together.
•
Majority still call themselves “pro-growth” but “no-growth” not far behind. While most (51
percent) in the County still identify themselves as “pro-growth,” the problems of traffic
congestion and other concerns resulting from overdevelopment leave four-in-ten voters
identifying themselves as “no-growth.”
Slide 2
Executive Summary
•
Most are open to idea of County buying development rights. On the surface, most (61
percent) have no problem with the idea of the Charles County government buying
development rights from rural landowners. Just 32 percent are opposed.
•
When pushed, voters prefer free market solutions. When forced to choose, a majority (54
percent) prefer to rely on free market solutions to preserve rural land. But 44 percent say
buying development rights is a legitimate role for county government.
•
In the end, neither approach is seen as a particularly effective way to preserve land.
Neither the county purchase of development rights nor having developers put land into
preservation is seen as very effective. Voters believe either approach might be somewhat or
a little effective, but they judge each approach identically in terms of likely outcome.
•
No debate on who should pay: Developers. Support for a county-paid offset plan collapses if
voters are told that their taxes would increase or if county services would have to be cut. The
only viable solution for voters is to have developers pay for the cost of the program.
Slide 3
Mood and Environment
Slide 4
Voters Mostly Positive About Direction of Charles County
Registered Democrats Significantly More Upbeat than Registered Republicans Overall
Total (+10)
Registered Democrat (+27)
49
39
31
58
Registered Republican (-20)
33
70 60 50 40 30 20 10
% Right Direction
52
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
% Wrong Direction
Q.4 Generally speaking, do you think that things in Charles County are going in the right direction, or do you feel things have
gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track?
Slide 5
Traffic and Development Issues Top the List of Concerns
for Charles County Voters
Registered Democrats Most Likely to Say Traffic,
Older Women Most Likely to Say Development
24
24
Traffic/Transportation
Growth/Development
Education
Most likely to say
Traffic/Transportation:
17
 Registered Democrats (30%)
 African Americans (29%)
 Waldorf County Voters (29%)
11
10
8
Economy/Jobs
Crime/Drugs
Keep Taxes Down
4
3
2
2
Wrong/Low Income People
Politics/Government
Government Spending
Gas Prices
Most likely to say
Growth/Development:
 Older Women (36%)
 Whites (31%)
6
Other
9
None/Nothing/Don’t Know/Refused
0
5
10
15
20
25
% Mention
Q.5 And what would you say is the biggest issue facing Charles County that local elected officials should focus on?
Slide 6
Words Used to Describe Issue of Greatest Concern
In word cloud, the larger the word the more frequently it was mentioned.
Q.5 And what would you say is the biggest issue facing Charles County that local elected officials should focus on?
Slide 7
A Majority of Voters Are Very Concerned About
Traffic and Congestion
85% of Voters at Least Somewhat Concerned
6% Not at all
concerned 9% Not too
concerned
28% Somewhat
concerned
57% Very
concerned
85% Total
Concerned
Q.33 Thinking specifically about traffic and congestion in your area, how much of a concern is it to you - would you say
you are very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned or not at all concerned about the issue of traffic and
congestion in your area?
Slide 8
Electorate Largely Divided Over Which Traffic and Transportation
Initiative Should Take Priority
Plurality of Voters Support Improving Transit Systems Over Expanding and Maintaining
Roads, Highways, and Bridges
1% (Don’t Know/Refused)
40% Expanding
mass transit
Q.34 Still thinking about traffic and
transportation, which ONE of the
following should be the top priority for
the Charles County government?
25% Building
new roads
34% Maintaining roads
Slide 9
•
Building and expanding new roads,
highways, and bridges.
•
Maintaining and repairing existing
roads, highways, freeways, and
bridges.
•
Expanding and improving bus, rail,
and other mass transit.
Strong Plurality of Voters Support Reducing Traffic by Completing
Waldorf Route 301 Bypass
Voters also supportive of starting construction on a new rail system
Most likely to say finishing the
301 Bypass:
6% DK/Ref
33% Start new
rail system
 Waldorf region voters (51%)
 South region voters (50%)
 50 and over (50%)
46% Finish
301 Bypass
15% Finish Cross
County Connector
Most likely to say starting
construction on a new rail system:
 La Plata region voters (38%)
 Registered Democrats (37%)
Q.35 Thinking ahead five years, which ONE of the following specific proposals is the best solution to reducing traffic in your area:
•
Finishing the Waldorf Route 301 Bypass.
•
•
Finishing the Cross County Connector.
Starting construction on a new mass transit rail system.
Slide 10
Voters Slightly More Likely to View County Taxes as “About Right”
When Compared to State Taxes
Maryland Tax Rates
Charles County Tax Rates
60%
60%
50%
50%
50%
45%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
1%
0%
Too High
About Right
51%
43%
2%
0%
Too Low
Too High
About Right
Too Low
Q.6/7 Thinking about taxes and the services you receive from your state government/the Charles County government, would
you say the taxes and fees you pay in Maryland/to the county are too high, too low, or about right?
Slide 11
Few Voters Think Charles County Tax Burden is Higher than
Other Counties
19% DK/Ref
32% Lower
22% Higher
27% About
the same
Q.8 And compared to other counties in Maryland, would you say that property taxes in Charles County are
higher, lower or about the same?
Slide 12
Traffic Dominates List of Concerns; Property Rights Important, But
Many Worry about Protecting Open Space and Farms
% Interest 10
37
7.4
Protecting private property owners' rights
6.7
The cost of housing
25
6.6
Protecting open space, like fields and forests
22
6.4
Protecting land for farms and agriculture
20
6.1
The lack of public transportation, like rail and bus
28
5.7
The length of your commute
25
5.2
Lack of community playgrounds or parks
Mean on 1-10 Scale
50
8.4
The increase in traffic and congestion on our roads
5
5.5
13
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
Q.9 Now I would like to read a list of issues facing Charles County as a result of population growth and development. Using a
scale of 1 to 10, where a 1 means that issue does not concern you at all at this time, and 10 means that issue concerns you the
most at this time, please rate each of the following.
Slide 13
Concern Over Open Space and Farmland Higher Among Whites and
Those Who Initially Favor Development Rights Proposal
% Interest 10
Traffic and
Congestion
Property
Rights
Open Space
Land for
Farms
Total
50%
37%
22%
20%
White
46%
38%
31%
26%
African American
56%
35%
12%
12%
Men
39%
36%
22%
20%
Women
59%
37%
22%
20%
Favor Proposition
51%
32%
26%
21%
Oppose Proposition
49%
43%
13%
14%
Slide 14
Growth and Development /
Mitigation Proposal
Slide 15
Voters Agree on Need for Controls on Development,
But Conflicted on What that Means in Practice
70% Strongly
Agree
We need some controls on development, or our traffic
and sprawl problems will just keep getting worse.
45% Strongly
Agree
Private property owners should be able to develop
their land as they see fit.
34% Strongly
Agree
New home construction should be limited in outlying
areas and encouraged in already developed areas.
36% Strongly
Disagree
Businesses and homes should be built closer together
to shorten commutes and limit traffic congestion.
0
20
89% Total
Agree
71% Total
Agree
67% Total
Agree
63% Total
Disagree
40
60
80
100
Q.17-20 Still thinking about growth and development in Charles County, many people have different opinions on this subject. I am
going to read you some statements about growth and development and after I read each one, please tell me whether you agree
or disagree with the statement.
Slide 16
Significant Gender and Race Gaps in Support for Pro-Growth Land
Use and Development Policies
Men and African Americans Most Supportive of Pro-Growth Policies
51
Total
Men
Women
40
58
45
33
46
67
African American
White
27
39
African American Men
African American Women
White Men
White Women
52
18
79
35
45
58
58
43
35
80
60
40
20
% Pro-Growth
0
20
40
60
80
% No-Growth
Q.21 And do you consider yourself to be more PRO-growth or NO-growth on land use and development issues?
Slide 17
6-in-10 Initially Favor County Directly Buying
Development Rights
But Just A Third of Voters Strongly Favor Proposal
70
60
50
40
61% Total
Favor
30
20
10
Q.22 Still thinking about the issue of
growth and development, as you may
know the Charles County Commission is
considering a proposal to allow the
Charles County government to buy
development rights from rural landowners in order to preserve the land for
agricultural use or open space.
32%
Strongly
Favor
32% Total
Oppose
21%
Strongly
Oppose
0
Favor
Oppose
Just based on what you know, do you
favor or oppose this proposal to allow
the Charles County government to buy
development rights from rural landowners in order to preserve rural land?
7%
Don't
Know/Refused
Slide 18
Older Men, Registered Democrats, and College-Educated Voters
Most Supportive of the Proposal
Total (+28)
61
32
68
Registered Democrat (+43)
Registered Republican (-1)
47
Men (+36)
Women (+22)
48
65
29
35
67
28
40
57
Older Men (+39)
Older Women (+14)
College Educated (+45)
Non-College Educated (+13)
24
54
24
69
53
40
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
% Favor Proposal
% Oppose Proposal
Q.22 …Just based on what you know, do you favor or oppose this proposal to allow the Charles County government to buy
development rights from rural land-owners in order to preserve rural land?
Slide 19
When Arguments Are Played Out, Majority Favor Free Market
Approach to Land Preservation
Dramatic Swing Reveals High Volatility in Electorate
60
50
54% Total
Closer
40
30
44% Total
Closer
20
10
17% Much
Closer
25% of voters overall
favor proposal BUT
take free market view
29% Much
Closer
0
Government Role
Free Market
Q.23 Tell me whether the first statement or the second statement comes closer to your own view, even if neither is exactly right.
• We need to find ways to protect rural land, the quality of life and our rural heritage in Charles County. Buying
development rights is a legitimate role for the county government.
•
Protecting rural land is important, but we need policies that rely on the free market to preserve land. County
government should not use taxpayer dollars to buy development rights.
Slide 20
Dramatic Shift Towards Free Market Approach Largely Reflected
Across Countywide Electorate
Registered Democrats, Older Women Most Volatile Voting Blocs
% Shift from
Proposal Position
Total (-10)
Registered Democrat (+1)
Registered Republican (-34)
44
54
48
50
32
40
Older Men (+17)
Older Women (-29)
58
College Educated (+7)
Non-College Educated (-25)
53
36
-42
66
49
Men (-2)
Women (-17)
51
57
41
33
Slide 21
-33
-38
-39
-22
63
-43
46
61
-38
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
% Government Role
-38
% Free Market
-38
When Tested on Their Own, Neither Approach to Preserving Rural
Land is Viewed as Particularly Effective
Q.24 Now I going to read you a couple of approaches for preserving land in rural Charles County. Please tell me whether you think
each approach would be very effective, somewhat effective, a little effective, or not at all effective in preserving rural land.
Have real estate developers offset the impact
of their development in urban and suburban
parts of the County by paying for the cost of
putting rural lands into preservation.
17
Have County government directly pay for the
cost of putting rural lands into preservation
61
14
0
10
60
20
% Very Effective
Slide 22
30
40
50
60
% Very/Somewhat Effective
70
But When Asked to Choose, Voters Prefer Developer
Approach by a Near-2-1 Ratio
Low Intensity Scores Suggest Much of Electorate Remains Undecided
70
60
50
Q.26 …Which ONE of these two
approaches do you prefer for preserving
rural land in Charles County?
60% Total
Prefer
•
40
30
20
35% Much
Prefer
10
32% Total
Closer
•
13% Much
Prefer
0
Developers Pay
County Pay Directly
Slide 23
Have real estate developers offset
the impact of their development in
urban and suburban parts of the
County by paying for the cost of
putting rural lands into preservation.
Have the County government directly
pay for the cost of putting rural lands
into preservation.
After Given Information on Cost of Proposal,
Voters Significantly Less Supportive of It
Three Quarters of Voters Less Likely to Support Proposal
4% (No Difference)
Q.27 Let me tell you a little more about
the proposal we've been talking about.
4% (Not sure/Don’t
know/Refused)
8% Much
More Likely
52% Much Less
Likely
11% Somewhat
More Likely
20% Somewhat
Less Likely
The proposal to buy development rights
and preserve rural land in Charles County
would cost approximately 4.6 million
dollars each year for the next twenty
years. The money for the program is not in
the current County budget and would have
to come from cuts in other programs, an
increase in property taxes or from new
fees on individuals or businesses.
Does that make you more or less likely to
support the proposal to allow Charles
County to buy development rights in order
to preserve land in rural Charles County?
Slide 24
Fees on Developers Only Palatable Revenue Source
Q.28-32 I am going to read you some specific recommendations for how to pay for this proposal. Regardless of how you feel
about the overall proposal, please tell me whether you favor or oppose each of the following as a way to pay for it.
100
80
60
74
66
20
0
93
86
40
13
29
Increase property Cut funding from
taxes
other programs
Pct Favor
Pct Oppose
7
24
83
15
Cut funding from Increase fees paid Increase fees paid
programs, like by small businesses by developers
education and
public safety
Slide 25