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