A Survey of Voter Attitudes in Douglas County, Colorado

1. A Survey of Voter Attitudes in Douglas County, Colorado May 25-26, 2010 #12459

2. Political Environment

3. Now I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of Colorado have said are important to them. Please listen as I read the list and tell me which one issue you think is most important to you. Q1

4. How satisfied are you with the K-12 education system in Douglas County? Would you say you are – extremely satisfied, very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, or not at all satisfied – with the K-12 education system in Douglas County? Q2

5. Do you think that the K-12 public education system in Douglas County has -- more money than it needs, about the right amount of money, or not enough money – to provide a quality education to Douglas County K-12 school students? Q3

6. Do you approve or disapprove of the job that the Douglas County Public School system is doing of making decisions on how to spend education tax dollars? incl. 16% “strongly” incl. 19% “strongly” Q4

7. Typically, would you say that you have been inclined to vote –yes - in favor of, or no – against -- school bond and mill override proposals that have been on the ballot in recent years? Q5

8. With the recession, the state has had revenue shortfalls. In response to these shortfalls, funding for K through 12 education has been lower than once forecast. Over the last two school years the original budget for K through 12 has undergone mid-year cuts.  Douglas County Schools responded by making cuts in its budget.  For the school year 2010 to 2011, the state is cutting per pupil funding as compared to the original budget by six percent which will result in a projected reduction of twenty six million dollars for Douglas County Schools. The District is also projecting another round of reductions for the 2011 to 2012 school year.Based on this situation, the Douglas County School District may propose both a mill override proposal and a bond proposal that would appear on the ballot this November. Now, thinking first about a possible mill override issue…If a mill override was proposed and it read:Shall the Douglas County School District taxes be increased by twenty million dollars annually for the purpose of having local revenues offset the state's K through 12 budget cuts? But the mill levy property tax rate shall not exceed the mill levy cap of fifty point six mills approved by the voters in 1997. Q6

9. If the election on this mill override issue were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $20 million mill override initiative? incl. 31% “definite” incl. 35% “definite” Q6

10. If a bond was proposed and it read:Shall Douglas County School District debt be increased one hundred million dollars with a repayment cost of not to exceed one hundred ninety-five million dollars for the purposes of renovating, repairing or making additions to existing school buildings, replacing school buses, and making technology upgrades.If the election on this bond were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $100 million school bond initiative? incl. 34% “definite” incl. 24% “definite” Q7

11. If a different mill override was proposed and it read:Shall the Douglas County School District taxes be increased by forty million dollars annually for the purpose of having local revenues offset the state's K through 12 budget cuts and for the purpose of implementing a new and significantly more extensive teacher evaluation system in which teacher compensation is strongly tied to student achievement and growth? This mill levy property tax rate would eliminate the mill levy cap of fifty point six mills approved by the voters in 1997.If the election on this mill override issue were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote, Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $40 million mill override initiative? incl. 40% “definite” incl. 12% “definite” Q8

12. If a bond was proposed and it read:Shall Douglas County School District debt be increased two hundred million dollars with a repayment cost of not to exceed three hundred ninety million dollars for the purposes of renovating, repairing or making additions to existing school buildings, replacing school buses, and making technology upgrades and also includes an addition to Castleview high school, several new elementary schools, and funds for the construction needs of the district’s charter schools. If the election on this bond were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote, Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $200 million school bond initiative? incl. 41% “definite” incl. 14% “definite” Q9

13. If both the most expensive of these proposals pass, the average home in this area will see their property taxes increase by two hundred sixty-one dollars per year. Knowing this, do you think you would vote…Yes – in favor of, or No-against – these proposals? Q10

14. Additional Funding Proposals

16. Message Series

17. Positive Messages with Majority More Likely Scores

18. Other Positive Messages Tested

19. Opposition Messages

20. Second Ballots

21. If a mill override was proposed and it read:Shall the Douglas County School District taxes be increased by twenty million dollars annually for the purpose of having local revenues offset the state's K through 12 budget cuts? But the mill levy property tax rate shall not exceed the mill levy cap of fifty point six mills approved by the voters in 1997.If the election on this mill override issue were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote, Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $20 million mill override initiative? Q6&36

22. If a bond was proposed and it read:Shall Douglas County School District debt be increased one hundred million dollars with a repayment cost of not to exceed one hundred ninety-five million dollars for the purposes of renovating, repairing or making additions to existing school buildings, replacing school buses, and making technology upgrades.If the election on this bond were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote, Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $100 million school bond initiative? Q7&37

23. If a different mill override was proposed and it read:Shall the Douglas County School District taxes be increased by forty million dollars annually for the purpose of having local revenues offset the state's K through 12 budget cuts and for the purpose of implementing a new and significantly more extensive teacher evaluation system in which teacher compensation is strongly tied to student achievement and growth? This mill levy property tax rate would eliminate the mill levy cap of fifty point six mills approved by the voters in 1997.If the election on this mill override issue were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote, Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $40 million mill override initiative? Q8&38

24. If a bond was proposed and it read:Shall Douglas County School District debt be increased two hundred million dollars with a repayment cost of not to exceed three hundred ninety million dollars for the purposes of renovating, repairing or making additions to existing school buildings, replacing school buses, and making technology upgrades and also includes an addition to Castleview high school, several new elementary schools, and funds for the construction needs of the district’s charter schools. If the election on this bond were held today, and you had to make a choice, would you vote, Yes – in favor of, or No-against – this $200 million school bond initiative? Q9&39