Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

2008 Legislative Survey Results

Chamber’s Annual Legislative Survey Solicits Input from Members

Each year the Mobile Area Chamber’s community and governmental affairs department releases a survey to its membership seeking input of key local, state and federal legislative issues that impact local business. From responses, Chamber members serving on the local, state and federal Governmental Affairs Committees begin to build the annual legislative agenda. This document is used by Chamber staff and lobbyist, as well as volunteers in meeting with elected officials.

Below are the survey’s results. Nearly 20 percent of the Chamber membership responded to the annual survey. For more information on the results, contact Ginny Russell, vice president of community and governmental affairs for the Chamber at 431-8618 or grussell@mobilechamber.com.

1. How important is it for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to support efforts to secure federal military contracts that impact local business expansion and increase job opportunities, including Northrop Grumman’s efforts to build a new refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force and Austal USA’s work to build next-generation Littoral Combat ships for the U.S. Navy?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	57.0%	138
Very Important	26.0%	63
Important	12.0%	29
Does Not Matter	2.1%	1
Very Unimportant	0.5%	3
Extremely Unimportant	1.2%	3
N/A	1.2%	3
	Total Respondents	242

2. How important is it for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to support the design and construction to transportation improvements that would resolve I-10 Wallace tunnel congestion and seek appropriate federal funding?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	51.0%	122
Very Important	24.7%	59
Important	18.0%	43
Does Not Matter	3.8%	9
Very Unimportant	0.5%	1
Extremely Unimportant	0.8%	2
N/A	1.3%	3
	Total Respondents	239

3. How important is it for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to be involved with efforts to restructure the Mobile County Board of Commissioners by reducing board member terms from 6 years to 4 years?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	31.1%	74
Very Important	22.3%	53
Important	25.5%	60
Does Not Matter	17.2%	41
Very Unimportant	1.3%	3
Extremely Unimportant	1.3%	3
N/A	1.6%	4
	Total Respondents	238

4. How important is it for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to be involved with efforts to restructure the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners by expanding the number of school board members in order to have greater representation?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	21.9%	52
Very Important	21.5%	51
Important	29.1%	69
Does Not Matter	20.3%	48
Very Unimportant	3.4%	8
Extremely Unimportant	2.1%	5
N/A	1.7%	4
	Total Respondents	237

5. How important is it for the Chamber to support on-going efforts to increase overall quality of education and student achievement?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	47.5%	112
Very Important	31.4%	74
Important	16.9%	40
Does Not Matter	3.0%	7
Very Unimportant	0.8%	2
Extremely Unimportant	0%	0
N/A	0.4%	1
	Total Respondents	236

6. How important is it for the Chamber to be involved in efforts to better meet the community’s workforce needs?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	44.5%	105
Very Important	38.2%	90
Important	15.3%	36
Does Not Matter	0.8%	2
Very Unimportant	0.4%	1
Extremely Unimportant	0.0%	0
N/A	0.8%	1
	Total Respondents	236

7. How important is it for the Chamber to support state efforts to offer free 4-year-old Pre-Kindergarten to all children?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	15.3%	36
Very Important	12.7%	30
Important	32.6%	77
Does Not Matter	21.2%	50
Very Unimportant	7.6%	18
Extremely Unimportant	7.2%	17
N/A	3.4%	8
	Total Respondents	236

8. How important is it for the Chamber to continue to support market-driven insurance coverage to help individual and businesses find fair and reasonable protection for their homes and business investments?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	33.1%	78
Very Important	32.6%	77
Important	27.5%	65
Does Not Matter	4.7%	11
Very Unimportant	1.3%	3
Extremely Unimportant	0.4%	1
N/A	0.4%	1
	Total Respondents	236

9. How important is it for the Chamber to work with the Mobile Airport Authority to market new air service and increase community support of existing service?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	42.4%	100
Very Important	30.5%	72
Important	22.9%	54
Does Not Matter	2.1%	5
Very Unimportant	0.0%	0
Extremely Unimportant	0.8%	2
N/A	1.3%	3
	Total Respondents	236

10. How important is it for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to support efforts to increase the availability of legal foreign workers to meet industry needs?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	11.9%	28
Very Important	19.5%	46
Important	33.1%	78
Does Not Matter	16.9%	40
Very Unimportant	8.9%	21
Extremely Unimportant	5.9%	14
N/A	3.8%	9
	Total Respondents	236

11. How important is it for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to seek ways to better prepare our community for a hurricane or natural disaster?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	24.2%	57
Very Important	24.2%	57
Important	34.3%	81
Does Not Matter	10.5%	25
Very Unimportant	4.2%	10
Extremely Unimportant	1.3%	3
N/A	1.3%	3
	Total Respondents	236

12. How important is it for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to support efforts to prevent state employees from serving in the Alabama legislature?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Extremely Important	29.7%	70
Very Important	13.6%	32
Important	22.0%	52
Does Not Matter	25.4%	60
Very Unimportant	1.3%	3
Extremely Unimportant	4.2%	10
N/A	3.8%	9
	Total Respondents	236

13. How often do you think property reappraisals should happen?
	Response Percent	Response Total
Every Year	11.0%	26
Every 2 Years	22.0%	52
Every 4 Years	61.0%	144
Does Not Matter	3.4%	8
N/A	2.5%	6
	Total Respondents	236