New NPG Florida Opinion Poll on Population Growth,
Development, Immigration and Sprawl
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Completed by the polling companyú, the following data was compiled from a random telephone survey of 500 likely Florida voters taken September 23 ö 27, 1999. The margin of error is + 4.4% at the 95% confidence level, meaning that similar results would be obtained in 19 out of 20 cases.
Voter Opinions on Immigration
- By a margin of more than 2-1 Florida voters support the reduction of federal immigration levels.
- Roughly 3-in-5 voters (59%) believe current immigration levels of 1,000,000 a year are too high.
- Florida voters who believe the number of people coming into Florida from other countries is too high include the following: seniors (71%), voters who have lived in Florida for over 30 years (71%) and pre-retirees (68%).
- Almost two thirds (63%) of voters agree "that immigration levels are out of control and we need to reduce the number of immigrants we allow into the country". Conversely, only 29% believe "that existing immigration levels are satisfactory and should maintain the status quo and continue to allow the same number of immigrants into the United States each year.
- The groups most likely to believe that immigration is out of control consist of the following: voters in West Palm Beach area (75%), persons who have lived in Florida for over 30 years (71%), and seniors (71%).
- A majority of voters (52%) said they would be more likely endorse a candidate who supported immigration reduction as part of his or her campaign.
- In a pattern repeated throughout the survey, senior voters and voters who have resided in the Sunshine State for over 30 years were more likely to deem the facts and figures about immigration and other related problems an "extremely serious problem."
- Fully, 59% of Floridians "support the federal government lowering immigration levels to reduce the environmental impact on communities across Florida."
- Almost half of Florida voters said they would support an organization that promoted immigration reform as a way to freeze population growth in Florida. This includes active environmentalists (66%) and persons who have lived in Florida for over 30 years (56%).
Voter Opinions on Development and Population Growth
- Four out of five Floridians feel that the addition of 5 million people to Florida's population over the next 15 years (as projected by the U.S. Census Bureau) is a problem. Fully, 59% feel that this is a "very serious problem."
- 77% feel that "over-crowding here in Florida is a major problem."
- 76% feel that "Continued population growth is a threat to Florida's resource base, environmental health, and quality of life."
- 68% feel that Florida would be better-off in the long term with a smaller population to maintain a sound economy and a healthy environment for the long term.
- 68% feel that "new housing developments in Florida should pay impact fees for the additional roads, water, sewage plants, and schools that will be required to accommodate new residents.
- A plurality of voters (31%) believe over-population poses the greatest threat to Florida's environment and quality of life, followed by over-development (17%), air and water pollution (16%), traffic congestion (12%), and the destruction of the ecosystem (12%).
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