document (78)

Q U A L I T Y O F L I F E

2016REPORT

in Pensacola and Escambia County

P E N S A C O L A Y O U N G P R O F E S S I O N A L S

Presented by:

QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016 QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016P2 P3

Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. located in Washington, D.C., conducted this survey from June 22-28, 2016. Eight hundred (800) registered Escambia County voters were interviewed by telephone.

Those interviewed were selected randomly from a commercially available Florida State voter registration file. The resulting sample fairly reflects the demographic profile of voters in Escambia County. Please see the statistical report for demographic details by visiting www.PensacolaYP.com.

The margin for error, according to standards customarily used by statisticians, is no more than plus or minus 3.5-percentage points. This means there is a 95 percent probability that the “true” figure would fall within that range if the entire population were sampled. The margin for error is higher for any subgroup, such as a gender, income or race.

Quint and Rishy Studer generously provide funding for this annual survey and Pensacola Young Professionals coordinate and execute its presentation.

The mission of Pensacola Young Professionals is to share our passion for and belief in the Pensacola Bay Area, and to act as a catalyst for positive change in our community. Our hope is that the annual results of this Quality of Life Survey will be a useful mea-surement tool that allows Escambia County residents to have a voice and offers data to local leaders and policy makers seeking to affect change for the benefit of the entire community. By measuring public opinion in an annual survey and collecting data for com-parison, we are able to provide material that generates informed debate and inspires necessary action.

Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, an independent polling firm that conducts public policy and political polling research nationwide, carried out the 2016 Annual Quality of Life Survey of Escambia County on behalf of Pensacola Young Professionals (PYP). Since 2008, Escambia County voters have been asked their opinions on a number of key issues, with the results presented in the Quality of Life Report.

As of June 2016, the overall quality of life rating in Escambia County remains mostly positive, with 66% of voters rating it “excellent” or “good,” although this number is down from 71% in 2015. The top concern of voters in our area continues to be the economy and jobs. Education remains the number two issue among county voters again this year, while crime and drugs take the second spot among city voters.

In line with an overall decline in many numbers compared to last year, the question “Do you think Escambia County is heading in the right direction, or are things on the wrong track?” revealed that 51% of Escambia County voters said right direction in 2016 compared to 61% in 2015. Meanwhile, the City of Pensacola saw a sharp decline in rating, with only 45% of voters saying things in the City are headed in the right direction—a stunning drop from 70% only a year ago. Additionally, the job performance rating of Mayor Hayward dropped precipitously, while the rating of the City Council saw a more modest but still noticeable drop.

Based on the results, 2016 seems to be a time of renewed concern for county and especially city residents. For our community to continue to move forward and break through obstacles, it is crucial that we explore this survey data and identify areas for improve-ment. PYP is confident that our community can courageously face the challenges before us and make our area an even better place to live, work, and play.

D E M O G R A P H I C M A K E U P

M E T H O D O L O G Y

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

2 Methodology & Demographics

3 Executive Summary

4 Overall Quality of Life

6 Individual Factors: Quality of Life

8 State of the City of Pensacola

10 State of Escambia County

12 Major Issues: Economy

14 Major Issues: Education

16 Major Issues: Port & Waterfront

18 Improving Quality of Life

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

Full orPar t Time

Retired

Homemaker

Unemployed

Student

65+

50-64

30-39

40-49

18-29

SomeCollege

CollegeUndergrad

GradDegree High

School

Count yResidents

Cit yResidents

Democrat

Republican

IndependentWhite

Black

OtherEthnicit y

Hispanic

Declined <$25k

$25-$39k

$40-$74K

$75k+

Declined T a y l o r S i m m o n s , P r e s i d e n t

J o n P y t y n i a , V P o f C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

The different colors of this graph represent different demographics of the surveyed population. The total area of a particular color represents the

whole of that measured demographic.

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS


“ E v e r y t h i n g i s i n p o s i t i o n t o m a k e P e n s a c o l a a g r e a t p l a c e t o a t t r a c t y o u n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s , b u t c o m m u n i t y i n v o l v e m e n t , p a r t i c u l a r l y b y y o u n g p e o p l e , i s k e y .”

O v e r a l l Q u a l i t y o f L i f e

Pensacola has always had my heart, ever since my family immigrated here in the early 1990s. But even into

the early 2000s, Pensacola was not very attractive to young adults, mainly due to a limited amount of social life geared toward that demographic. Much has changed recently; Pensacola is now a vibrant town with an incredible blend of old and new. Everything is in position to make Pensacola a great place to attract young professionals, but community involvement, particularly by young people, is key. I’ve been home for a year now and, realizing that nothing is gained without participation, I found a passion for charity work and co-founded Light Up The Night to promote mental health counseling and suicide awareness.

One of the most heartening findings of the 2016 Quality of Life Survey is that the majority of residents rate the quality of life in Escambia County positively. A total of 66% rate the quality of life to be “Good” or “Excellent.”

Quality of life ratings for Escambia County in 2016

Desirability of Escambia as a place to live by demographic

Change over time, 2008-2016

Feeling about the progress of quality of life over the next 5 years

Going forward, residents of the county were a bit more reserved in how they thought the quality of life would change. Only 28% of residents thought the quality of life would improve, but a mere 13% thought the quality of life would deteriorate. The majority of people thought the quality of life would stay the same.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Impoverished

College Grads

Immigrants

Young & Single

Entrepreneurs

Minorities

Families

Retirees

0

25

50

75

100

ExcellentGoodFairPoor

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

Improve

Deteriorate

Stay the same

28%

59%13%

T h a h n N g u y e n

13%

53%

27%

7%

Poor Just Fair Good Excellent

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS


I N D I V I D U A L F A C T O R SC o n t r i b u t i n g t o Q u a l i t y o f L i f e

2008 20162012

Public SafetyLeadership

Economic Development

Jobs

Mobility

Inclusive

ness

Cultu

reNightlife

Natural Beauty

Parks & Beaches

Healthcare

Housing

School

s

Trans

it

Administr

ation Infrastructure

LeisureLiveability

255075100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Economic DevelopmentJobs

LeadershipMobility

TransitHousing

Public SafetySchoolsCulture

NightlifeHealthcare

InclusivenessParks & Beaches

Natural Beauty

(Detail of 2016 results)

For the 2016 Quality of Life Report, county residents rated only several categories as being better than in any previous years: jobs, economic development, public safety, transit, parks & beaches, and culture, with parks & beaches and culture making only a very small improvement from any previous year.

Definition of Terms:For this metric, participants were read descriptions of qualities and characteristics that contribute to the quality of life in Escambia County.

Natural Beauty: Natural beauty and physical setting.Parks & Beaches: The availability of outdoor parks, playgrounds and beaches.Inclusiveness: Welcoming and inviting to people of diverse backgrounds, ethnicity and culture.Healthcare: Availability of quality healthcare.Nightlife: Having a vibrant nightlife with clubs, bars, restaurants, etc.Culture: The availability of cultural opportunities such as theatre, museums and music.Schools: Quality of public schools.Public Safety: Public safety and low crime.Housing: Availability of affordable housing.Transit: Availability and reliability of public transportation.Mobility: Being able to get from place to place with little traffic.Leadership: Effective leadership from elected officials.Jobs: Job opportunities in your field.Economic Development: A shared vision for economic development and job growth.

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016P8P

EN

SA

CO

LA

YO

UN

G P

RO

FE

SS

ION

AL

S

S t a t e o f t h e C i t y

General satisfaction with the direction of Pensacola

Confidence in the vision for the revitalization of Pensacola

4 5 % o f r e s p o n d e n t s t h i n k t h a t P e n s a c o l a i s h e a d i n g i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n (▼-25%)

While the level of confidence in Pensacola's revitalization vision has fallen from last year, the decline is less steep than measurements for the direction in which the city is headed.

Both Mayor Ashton Hayward and the Pensacola City Council see declines in the level of satisfaction with their job performance. Although the mayor did see a steeper decline than did city council, Mayor Hayward still maintains a higher positive performance rating than does the Pensacola City Council.

0

25

50

75

100

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

0

25

50

75

100

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

In 2016, Pensacola sees a dip in the confidence in the city's direction. Less than 50% of city residents are satisfied, a drop of 25% from last year.

10

20

30

40

50

councilmayor

Distric

t 1

District 2

District 3District

4

District 5


T e d K i r c h h a r r

As a long-time resident of Pensacola, I am pleased overall with the direction of Escambia County and the City of Pensacola. Downtown revitalization

is progressing nicely, and we seem to be laying the foundation for better economic development. But I continue to be troubled by the level of poverty in our community and the slow progress in preparing our young people for school. I am convinced that resolving our early learning issue is key to our long-term prosperity, and I am encouraged by our recent efforts in that regard.

45

55

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016 P9

Satisfaction with the job performance of Pensacola leadership

0

25

50

75

100councilmayor

2011

2015

2016

2014*

2013

2012

Positive ratings for Mayor Ashton Hayward

Positive ratings for City Council

* First year City Council data recorded

3427

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

S t a t e o f t h e C o u n t y

Satisfaction with the job performance of County Commissioners

General satisfaction with the direction of Escambia County

Confidence in the vision for economic development in Escambia County

Although satisfaction in the direction the county is headed is down, 56% of survey respondents are confident in the vision for economic development in Escambia County, up 5% from last year.

Escambia County residents expressed a decline in their satisfaction with the direction of the county. Last year, 61% were satisfied, while this year shows only a 51% satisfaction level for the county.

0

25

50

75

100

commis-sioners job per-for-mance

2015 20162014

0

25

50

75

100county di-rection

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

0

25

50

75

100

county vision

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

5 6 % o f r e s p o n d e n t s a r e c o n f i d e n t i n t h e v i s i o n f o r e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t i n E s c a m b i a C o u n t y (▲+5%)

Positive ratings for County Commissioners

2016 showed a slight increase in the satisfaction of residents when considering the job performance of county commissioners. District 2 saw the highest level of satisfaction with country commissioners, and District 3 saw the lowest level. 10

20304050607080

commisioners job perfor-mance2016

Distric

t 1

District 2

District 3District

4

District 5


5 1 % o f r e s p o n d e n t s t h i n k t h a t E s c a m b i a C o u n t y i s h e a d i n g i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n (▼-10%)

QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016P10

56

42

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS


51

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS


...The greater Pensacola area is making real strides in workforce development. Whether by working directly with businesses to build educational career pathways, or by bringing cross-sector leadership together through Achieve Escambia to improve cradle-to-career educational and workforce outcomes, we must continue to bring all voices to the table and align our resources so we can leverage the entire talent pool and ensure prosperity for all."

One of the most important issues for residents is the community's ability to attract jobs. Most years, Pensacola has been rated as better at attracting jobs

than Escambia County overall. This year, both the city and the county saw a decline in their perceived ability to attract economic opportunity and job growth.

M a j o r I s s u e s : E c o n o m y

citycounty

0

25

50

75

100

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

Success of County vs. City to attract economic opportunity and job growth

J e n n i f e r G r o v e

Escambia County

City of Pensacola

" T a l e n t i s q u i c k l y b e c o m i n g t h e m o s t

c r i t i c a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n a c o m m u n i t y ’ s a b i l i t y t o g r o w a n d a t t r a c t j o b s

a n d i n v e s t m e n t . . .

1922

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016P14

M a j o r I s s u e s : E d u c a t i o n

Satisfaction with public schools’ assistance with economic development and job readiness

Feeling about the future progress of public schools’ ability to provide quality education

Satisfaction with the job performance of public school leadership

0

25

50

75

100

SuburbCity

school econ dev

Suburb CountyCity

bettersame

0

25

50

75

100

2015 201620140

25

50

75

100superboardsuperboard

...schools, homes, neighbors, elected officials, business owners, everyone. We can no longer just say it is the responsibility of the schools, the parents and guardians, or the students. It is the responsibility of all of us, and our responsibility should not be limited to special speeches, campaigns, media ads, back-to-school events, surveys and reports, and so forth. Our responsibilities should have a deeper impact and proactively engage the community, and hold us all accountable for the educational achievement of our citizens."

" F o r e d u c a t i o n i n E s c a m b i a t o t r u l y i m p r o v e a n d p r o g r e s s , i t t a k e s a v i l l a g e . . .

Showing similar results, city residents were most confident in the future progress of public schools’ ability to provide a quality education, with suburbanites showing less confidence in the future progress of public schools.

City residents are most confident in the public schools' ability to provide quality education in the future while suburbanites are less optimistic.

D e n i s e J a m i s o n , E d D

superboard

1020304050607080

Distric

t 1

District 2

District 3District

4

District 5



Will stay the sameWill improve

Positive ratings for School Board

Positive ratings for Superintendent Malcolm Thomas

Countywide Average

Countywide Average

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

39

59

45

61

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

importance of waterfront

2015 20162014201320120

25

50

75

100

Importance of Pensacola’s waterfront

Future of the Port of PensacolaThe city should seek funding to renovate the port to increase its use.

The city should sell/lease the port property and allow for mixed-use development.

Would you support or oppose moving the marine terminal ops of the port to Naval Air Station Pensacola?

Individuals, families, and businesses cannot thrive without health, and Pensacola provides excellent health care services to its residents.

But health is not created in the doctor’s office or a hospital—it is created where we live, work, and play. Our environment plays a powerful role in our health—and our businesses, restaurants, and public spaces should all be parts of our wellness culture. They should gently push us towards drinking water, moving, and breathing. I hope the generous spirit of Pensacola can extend to giving back to ourselves the self-care that will make us better at everything we do.

M e g h a n B l u e b e r r y M c C a r t h y

vs.

not sure sell land renovate port

undecided move to NAS keep

59% 31%

not sure sell land renovate port

undecided move to NAS keep

51% 39%

QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016 P17QUALITY OF LIFE — 2016P16

UndecidedOpposeSupport

“ O u r e n v i r o n m e n t p l a y s a p o w e r f u l r o l e i n o u r h e a l t h — a n d o u r b u s i n e s s e s , r e s t a u r a n t s a n d p u b l i c s p a c e s s h o u l d a l l b e p a r t s o f o u r w e l l n e s s c u l t u r e .”

M a j o r I s s u e s : P o r t & W a t e r f r o n t

82

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS

PE

NS

AC

OL

A Y

OU

NG

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

LS


I m p r o v i n g Q u a l i t y o f L i f e

betterworsesame

5 year econ

0

25

50

75

100

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

goodfair econ conditions

0

25

50

75

100

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

0

25

50

75

100yes

con�dence in security of job

2008

2009

2010

2011

2015

2016

2014

2013

2012

Perception of economic conditions in Escambia County The condition of Escambia County's economy in 5 years

Confidence in the security of jobs in Escambia County

Fair

Good

Will stay the sameWill worsenWill improve

C o n f i d e n c e i n E s c a m b i a C o u n t y r e s i d e n t s ' j o b s e c u r i t y

i n c r e a s e d 1 6 % i n t h e p a s t 5 y e a r s .42

54

28

54

13

32

Pensacola Young Professionals321 N. DeVilliers Street • Suite 218 • Pensacola, FL 32502

www.PensacolaYP.com

document (78)

Documents