Survey shows support for education and environment

JACKSONVILLE . Florida residents support protecting the Gulf Coast from oil exploration, see education as the top concern and harbor deep divisions on the Cuban boycott, according to a recent poll conducted by the Florida Center for Public Policy and the Public Opinion Research Laboratory at the University of North Florida.

The survey, which was completed on June 20, surveyed 600 Florida residents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. It was completed by the Center’s newly organized Public Opinion Research Laboratory and employed 35 UNF students as research assistants.

With respect to the recent agreement between the federal government and the state of Florida to protect the waters off the Gulf Coast from oil exploration, 62 percent said they either strongly or somewhat approved of the agreement. The agreement allows the federal government to use taxpayer money to purchase offshore tracts along the Gulf Coast to prevent oil exploration. Thirty percent said they strongly or somewhat disapproved of the agreement.

Matt Corrigan, director of the Public Opinion Research Laboratory, said the survey shows strong support for the oil exploration agreement. “Floridians of all political backgrounds take the protection of our coasts very seriously, and these findings reflect that fact,” he said.

Similarly when asked about the top environmental issue in the state in an open-ended question, the most frequently mentioned subject was water resources.

However, Florida residents apparently do not see growth as necessarily bad for the state’s environment. About 57 percent said the fact that Florida grew by 23 percent over the last decade was good or very good for the state.

In an unrelated open-ended question, Florida residents identified education as the most important issue facing the state. This is consistent with findings in other statewide surveys. Education was mentioned by nearly 40 percent of the respondents while no other issue surpassed 10 percent. 

Adam W. Herbert, executive director of the Florida Center and former Chancellor of the State University System of Florida, said the results reflect the growing state-wide citizen attention being focused on public education. “It is particularly significant that education is viewed by the public as the most important public policy issue confronting the state. This response demonstrates that the citizens of Florida understand that education is the key to opportunity for their children and to the expansion of Florida’s economy,” he said.

The trade boycott against Cuba showed more divisions among the state’s citizens. While 48 percent supported maintaining the boycott until Castro leaves power, 42 percent urged lifting the boycott. Even if the boycott of Cuba were lifted, 57 percent of respondents said they would not travel to or do business in the country.

Despite the divisions on the boycott, the survey found most Florida residents approved of the trip by former President Jimmy Carter to Cuba. Sixty-three percent either strongly or somewhat approved of the trip and Carter’s efforts to encourage greater cooperation between the two countries. Twenty-eight percent disapproved or somewhat disapproved of the trip.

The survey is the last part of the first state-wide public opinion poll completed by The Florida Center. The Center’s Public Opinion Research Laboratory examines critical issues confronting Floridians. It serves as a resource for public policymakers, faculty researchers, government agencies, non-profit agencies, businesses and students at Florida’s universities.

The complete survey results for Part 2 of the statewide Florida Center survey can be found on on the Center’s web page at www/unf.edu/thefloridacenter/