Ever since George Horace Gallup began his work in the field of public opinion, inspired in part by his desire to help his mother-in-law win election as Iowa’s first female secretary of state, the Gallup Organization—which evolved from the American Institute of Public Opinion in 1935—has sought the public’s views on a number of issues including a better way of seeking out the ablest men and women for public office.
To his credit, Dr. Gallup—recognized as one of the world’s most influential Americans—remained committed to learning and reporting “the will of the people” throughout his life.
It is what two-dozen Cook County residents set out to measure this past September: the views of a systematic sampling of Cook County’s primary and seasonal property taxpayers in an effort to gauge “the will of the people.”
The survey was conducted entirely by local citizen volunteers, who comprise a cross-section of socio-economic and political affiliation, in partnership with the Cook County News-Herald who elected to provide a forum for citizens to actively participate in informing local government decisions.
Investing hundreds of volunteer hours in the printing, folding, inserting, labeling, stamping and mailing of 2,142 surveys (approximately 37 percent of the combined primary and seasonal property owners in Cook County), the group—who later dubbed themselves Citizens for an Affordable Cook County— were rewarded for their efforts with an impressive 39 percent response rate.
The findings are telling …
To the question: “In your opinion, do you believe county taxes are going up too quickly?”…a staggering 84 percent either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” taxes are going up too quickly.
Contrast this finding with commissioners who evidently do not understand their role as elected representatives, but rather fall in lockstep with a County Administrator who claims, “When we look at the numbers (holding up a paper with figures), spending is not out of control. And the levy is not out of control.” (quote is taken from the June 20, 2017, committee of the whole commissioner meeting).
Unfortunately for the public, commissioners find it all-too-easy to allow their views and outlook to be shaped by an internal dominant opinion.
The survey results overwhelmingly reflect a strongly dissatisfied public, given the unbridled spending and the tenuous direction in which “leadership” is taking this county. Commissioners appear more invested in trying to “shape public opinion” rather than “listen to public opinion.”
This is understandable when the County Administrator instructs commissioners, during the same June 20th meeting, “So, I kinda want to run through this because then I want to test your thinking about these words and these messages, ‘cause this is going to turn into our messaging that goes out to the public, and it’s gonna run alongside with our budgeting process with our department heads, with the budget committee and then the media messages that we get out there.
“Our target audience is not the people who don’t want to pay taxes or are loud detractors. Our target audience [is] the 80 percent of the people who are paying their taxes, going to work, raising their families, and they just don’t have enough information about what we do [survey responses reflect just the opposite]. This is why we have a communications team, and we’re managing our messages.
We’re talking about strategies. We’re talking about messaging. Anything that happens can’t be a result of outside pressure.”
That’s worth repeating, “Anything that happens can’t be a result of outside pressure.” Rather distressing when you understand he is referring to YOU. Is it any wonder the survey response rate far exceeded industry standards.
Authors William T. Bianco and David T. Canon, both political science professors, addressing the subject of public opinion in their book, American Politics Today, W. W. Norton & Company (December 20, 2010), “Public opinion is citizens’ view on politics and government actions. It matters for three reasons: (1) citizens’ political actions are driven by their opinions, (2) public opinion helps explain the behavior of candidates, political parties, and other political actors; politicians look to public opinion to determine what citizens want them to do, (3) public opinion can also shed light on the reasons for specific policy outcomes.”
Bianco and Canon go on to point out, “Despite most Americans having only a minor interest in politics and public policy, the fundamental assumption of democracy is that citizens have an idea of what they want the government to do.”
In their chapter study on “Evaluations of Government and Officeholders,” Bianco and Canon emphasize, “It is important to consider how people view their government: how well or poorly they think their government is doing, whether they trust the government, and their evaluations of individual policies. Citizens’ evaluations of specific policies ultimately influence their willingness to vote for incumbent candidates.”
The Cook County Property Tax Survey provides timely insight into what the public value, think and want from their local government representatives.
In addition to reduced spending, taxpayers are seeking new ways to involve the public in policy formation in both the transparency and open data agendas—which will allow them to see exactly where every penny of their tax dollar is going and opens the door for political and public debate on previously untouchables areas of county expenditures. Areas such as employee benefits and discretionary special interest funding.
Citizens for an Affordable Cook County will be releasing complete information regarding their tax survey in three installments. The first is the overview that appears in this issue of the Cook County News-Herald. The next release will cover the details of survey methodology and analysis. The final installment will review the individual comments that respondents included with their survey.
Citizens for an Affordable Cook County chose this structured approach in releasing the data due to the sheer volume of information. They want to ensure that Cook County primary and seasonal residents have time to digest and discuss each of the three issues rather than try to “eat the entire elephant” at a single sitting…it will be “one bite at a time.”
In the interim …
Elected “representatives” need to stop ignoring people’s very real concerns and outright fears—as was made very clear in the comments expressed in survey responses. Taxpayer’s rage is legitimate. And, can you blame them? Their checkbooks have been hijacked by fiscally irresponsible decision-makers.
There is a consequence to ignoring public opinion as demonstrated in Koochiching County 25 years ago when three successive years of 7 percent levy increases changed the landscape of seated commissioners. The public has a long memory, which can hold their leaders accountable for their decisions long after leaving office.
Peggy Noonan, a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal, advises, “…Our political leaders will know our priorities only if we tell them, again and again, and if those priorities begin to show up in the polls.”
That might be the only place where citizens will be able to change the direction we are headed: at the polls.
Former Cook County Commissioner Garry Gamble is writing this ongoing column about the various ways government works.
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