Topic: College of Sciences and Humanities

December 11, 2012

On Dec. 10, WISH-TV and the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University unveiled initial results of the WISH-TV/Ball State University Hoosier Survey. The fifth annual Hoosier Survey identifies Indiana residents' top priorities for state government action during the coming legislative session and garners their opinions on key state issues.

For the third straight year, job creation is the No. 1 priority for Hoosiers. Eighty-one percent of survey respondents said this item should be at the top of the legislative agenda when the session begins in January. Other top priorities include improving schools (65 percent), making health care more affordable (61 percent) and protecting the environment (44 percent). Reducing illegal immigration is less of a priority for Hoosiers this year. The priority dropped nearly 9 percentage points this year to 36 percent.

A two-to-one majority (64 percent) prefers surplus revenues be used to invest in jobs and education rather than rebating taxpayers. Support for investment over tax cuts was slightly higher for Hoosiers with lower incomes. Tax cut support was highest among Hoosiers making between $75,000 and $100,000 annually (48 percent).

This year's results also showed a vast majority of Hoosiers have formed an opinion regarding the tea party on the heels of the November elections. In 2010, 46 percent of Hoosiers had no opinion regarding the tea party. This year, only 4 percent of Hoosiers had no opinion regarding the tea party, while the percentages of residents with favorable (43 percent) and unfavorable (44 percent) opinions about the tea party were virtually the same.

The Hoosier Survey was conducted for the Bowen Center for Public Affairs and WISH-TV by Princeton Research Associates International (PSRAI) from Nov. 12–24. PSRAI surveyed 602 Hoosier adults by landline and cell phone, chosen randomly, yielding a margin of sampling error of +/- 4.5 percent. In addition to providing statewide results, some findings also were broken down by region. 

WISH-TV and the Bowen Center for Public Affairs partnered with Ball State's Global Health Institute this year to look at opinions about recent health care legislation and the delivery of health care services in Indiana.

The entirety of the 2012 Hoosier Survey results will be reported by the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at the 21st Bingham Greenebaum Doll Legislative Conference on Dec. 13 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. For more information about the Hoosier Survey or the Bowen Center for Public Affairs, visit www.bsu.edu/bowencenter or call 765-285-8982.

About WISH-TV

Since 1954, WISH-TV has continued to set the standard for television excellence in central Indiana. WISH-TV has been honored as Television Station of the Year by the Indiana Broadcasters Association and Outstanding News Operation, Best Newscast and Best Website by the Indiana Associated Press Broadcast Association.  24-Hour News 8 provides around the clock news, weather and information through its television newscasts and WISHTV.com digital platforms. WISH-TV, a CBS affiliate, is a LIN Media station serving more than 1.5 million households (estimate according to Indianapolis Nielsen Station Index).  LIN Media (TVL) is a local multimedia company that operates or services 43 television stations and seven digital channels in 23 U.S. markets, along with a diverse portfolio of websites, apps and mobile products that make it more convenient to access its unique and relevant content on multiple screens.

About the Bowen Center for Public Affairs

Founded in 2007, the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University empowers people who want to participate in their communities. The Bowen Center for Public Affairs offers expert and practical viewpoints on the operation of local and state governments.