This survey summarizes public opinions in Nueces, San Patricio, and Kleberg Counties from September 2013. Over 700 residents were surveyed by phone about key issues in their communities. The top issues were the economy/jobs and roads/traffic. Respondents generally felt positive about where they live and work but were less satisfied with local politics and job opportunities for youth. The Eagle Ford Shale development was seen as improving the economy. Views on environmental quality, community health, the bay, and local industries were also assessed.

1. Survey of Nueces,
San Patricio and Kleberg Counties
September 2013
Prepared by
Harris, DeVille & Associates, Inc.

2. About the Survey
Developed by Harris, DeVille & Associates (HDA) and Southern
Media and Opinion Research (SMOR). Conducted by SMOR.
Telephone surveys conducted September 11-19, 2013
Sample size of 703 adult residents
Margin of error +4.4% @ 95% level of confidence overall; individual
counties vary
13th survey during a eighteen year period
Survey area consists of three counties [Nueces (400), San Patricio
(200), and Kleberg (100)]
Sample frame from electronic residential household phone
directory and a listing of cell phone numbers
Quotas imposed to ensure nominal participation quota based on
gender, Hispanic ethnicity and age. Results weighted to normalize
sample by age, county, race and ethnicity to reflect actual population.
2

3. Nerdy stuff
• Average length
– 14 minutes
• Total dials
– 32,013
• (nearly half [43%] were 'no answer'; another 28% were
'answer machine')
• Refusal rate
– 4.5% (2.1 refusals per completed interview)
• Phone type
– 51% of completed interviews were made to cell
phone numbers; 49% to landline numbers.
3

4. Study Area
4

5. 5

6. 6

7. 7

8. 8

9. 9

10. 10

11. 11

12. 12

13. What they’re telling us
• Issues
• Quality of Life
13

14. 14

15. 15

16. 16

17. What is the most important problems facing your
community today?
Economy/
Jobs
Crime/
Drugs
Schools
Other
Corpus Christi, TX
23
5
4
34 Roads
6 Taxes
Beaumont, TX (Dec 12)
30
20
14
12 Roads
Baton Rouge, LA (Sept 12)
19
55
19
35 Traffic
Baytown, TX (Jan 13)
14
31
4
15 Traffic
Chalmette, LA (Feb 12)
14
41
9
7 Traffic
Lake Charles, LA (Apr 13)
27
22
8
Billing, MT (Nov 12)
33
9
11
Lemont, IL (Apr 13)
36
18
16 Traffic
9 Taxes
9 Taxes
8 Foreclosures
17

18. Folks generally happier
in San Patricio
18

19. Economic Insight
• Area economy
• Eagle Ford Shale
19

20. Male = 46%
Female = 32%
20

21. Male = 35%
Female = 17%
21

22. 22

23. 23

24. What about workforce issues?
• Job availability and
opportunities
• Trades career
• Trades training
providers
24

25. Kleberg = 84%
San Patricio = 77%
Nueces = 64%
25

26. 26

27. + Female
+ Under 50
+ Hispanic
27

28. 28

29. 29

30. 30

31. 31

32. Community Health
• Healthy Place to Live
• Source of Problems
32

33. 33

34. 34

35. Environmental Perceptions
• Quality of
environment
• Ozone Action Days
35

36. 36

37. 37

38. 38

39. 39

40. About the Bay
•
•
•
•
•
Health of the bay
Value added
Use
Fresh water flow
Advertisement recall
40

41. 41

42. 42

43. 43

44. Jobs, ports,
military,
tourism
Boating,
swimming,
fishing
Sightseeing,
birding, relaxing
Fish nursery, bird and
wildlife habitat
44

45. 45

46. 46

47. 47

48. Business impressions
• Favorability
• Concerns about
industry
• Expansion support
• Communication
• Performance
• Quality of life
48

49. 49

50. 50

51. 51

52. 52

53. 53

54. 54

55. 55

56. 56

57. 57

58. Key Findings
• Two issues – Roads/Traffic and Jobs/Economy
• People generally happy with where they live, work and go to school;
not as happy about local politics or job opportunities for young people
• Some optimism that economy is improving and Eagle Ford Shale
related energy development credited as stimulus
• Workforce
– Increasing recognition of job opportunities – and energy related
industries are the driver
– Internet primary “go to” source for job info
– Lack of focus on trades training “ownership”
– Trades training providers receive high marks – if you know they’re
there
– Trades viewed as “encouraged” career path
• Community Health
– Area viewed as healthy place to live – but less enthusiastically over
past few years
– Community recognizes multiple forms of risk impacting health

59. Key Findings
• Environment
– No real improvements or declines in environmental quality noted
– If folks point the finger on source of pollution, it’s pointed at smokestacks
• Bay
– Bay is healthy
– People recognize the diverse value it adds
• Business and Industry
– Manufacturing base is accepted, but not embraced; Eagle Ford has
given industry much needed “value shot”
– Concerns have remained constant over time; if concerned, it’s about
pollution
– Majority still wants to see industry grow and expand
– And feel they have a way to communicate with industry
– Solid recognition (big picture) that industry has improved overall quality of
life
– Strong recognition that industry provides good jobs, operate safely and
provide leadership in community; less recognition of our responsiveness,
pollution reduction, and products benefits

60. Observations
•
•
•
•
Thoughts?
Comments?
Surprises?
Challenges?
60