Measure Survey Results — City Council/Public Finance and Economic Development Authority/Parking Authority, June 21, 2022

Highlights of Merced
Survey
Highlights of a Citywide Survey
Conducted June 3-12, 2022
220-6469
2 Dates June 3-12, 2022
Survey Type Dual-mode Voter Survey
Research Population Likely November 2022 Voters in the City of Merced Total Interviews 444
Margin of Sampling Error (Full Sample) ±4.7% at the 95% Confidence Level (Half Sample) ±6.6% at the 95% Confidence Level
Data Collection Modes
Languages English and Spanish
(Note: Not All Results Will Sum to 100% Due to Rounding) Survey Specifics and Methodology
Telephone
Interviews
Online
Interviews

3 Views of
Life in Merced
4 44%
51%51%56%57%
44%
51%
39%
19%
35%32%30%
45%
33%
17%
30%
14%12%14%11%16%
June
2022
Feb./March
2022
2019*2018*201720102005
Right Direction Wrong Track Don't Know
Would you say that things in the City of Merced are generally headed in the right direction, or do you feel that things are seriously off on the wrong track? *Slight Differences in Wording
Respondents appear concerned
about the direction of Merced.
5 60%
58%
60%
44%
44%
46%
48%
35%
47%
28%
26%
24%
22%
30%
28%
24%
20%
34%
21%
33%
13%
14%
10%
17%
14%
19%
21%
25%
18%
27%
6%
8%
9%
9%
10%
8%
5%
7%
5%
5%
Homelessness
Inflation
The cost of housing and rent
The cost of living
Drugs and narcotics
The number of people living in
poverty in Merced
Gangs and youth violence
Crime, in general
The cost of healthcare
Jobs and the local economy
Ext. Ser. Prob. Very Ser. Prob. Smwt. Ser. Prob. Not Too Ser. Prob. Don't Know Split Sample
Ext./Very
Ser. Prob.
86%
82%
81%
74%
72%
70%
69%
69%
68%
61%
Homelessness, inflation and the cost of housing
were seen as very acute problems.

I am going to read you a list of issues some people say may be problems in Merced. Please tell me whether you think it is an extremely serious problem, a very serious problem, a somewhat serious problem, or not too serious a problem in Merced.
6 I am going to read you a list of issues some people say may be problems in Merced. Please tell me whether you think it is an extremely serious problem, a very serious problem, a somewhat serious problem, or not too serious a problem in Merced. Split Sample 33%
30%
21%
28%
20%
20%
18%
16%
26%
23%
21%
11%
18%
17%
18%
7%
22%
24%
23%
19%
32%
27%
32%
18%
5%
14%
29%
27%
10%
28%
32%
54%
14%
9%
6%
15%
20%
8%
6%
Drug trafficking and drug use
A lack of recreation programs
for youth
The condition of local parks
How quickly police and fire respond
to 911 calls
Inefficiency and waste in Merced City
government
The amount of local taxes people pay
Traffic congestion on local streets
and streets
Too much growth and development
Ext. Ser. Prob. Very Ser. Prob. Smwt. Ser. Prob. Not Too Ser. Prob. Don't Know Ext./Very
Ser. Prob.
59%
54%
41%
40%
38%
37%
36%
23%
Taxes, traffic, and growth ranked
lowest on the list of concerns.
7 I am going to read you a list of issues some people say may be problems in Merced. Please tell me whether you think it is an extremely serious problem, a very serious problem, a somewhat serious problem, or not too serious a problem in Merced. Split Sample, * Worded Slightly Different in Previous Years (Extremely/Very Serious Problem)
Issue 2005 2010 2017 2019
Feb./
March
2022
June
2022
Difference
(Feb./March 2022-
June 2022)
How quickly police and fire respond to 911 calls -- -- 26% 34% 22% 40% +18% The cost of health care 72% 51% 59% 67% 58% 68% +10%
*The cost of living -- -- -- 50% 65% 74% +9%
Jobs and the local economy 66% 92% 66% 68% 54% 61% +7%
The condition of local parks 16% 12% 23% 43% 35% 41% +6% Drugs and narcotics -- -- 65% 78% 67% 72% +5%
A lack of recreation programs for youth 43% 33% 52% 53% 53% 54% +1% Traffic congestion on local streets and roads -- 44% 30% 37% 35% 36% +1% Gangs and youth violence 86% 78% 56% 80% 69% 69% 0%
Inefficiency and waste in Merced City
government 34% 36% 29% 39% 38% 38% 0%
The amount of local taxes people pay 34% 34% 33% 36% 37% 37% 0% Too much growth and development 48% 27% 19% 15% 23% 23% 0% Crime, in general 69% 66% 65% 61% 70% 69% -1%
Homelessness -- -- 78% 90% 89% 86% -3%
The number of people living in
poverty in Merced -- -- 72% 77% 74% 70% -4%
Drug trafficking and drug use 75% 75% 64% 69% 69% 59% -10% Concern about 911 response times
has nearly doubled since March.
8 Do you generally approve or disapprove of the City of Merced’s financial management? Respondents were split on the City’s financial
management, much like earlier in 2022.
6%
32%
17%
22%
22%
7%
35%
25%
11%
22%
Total
Approve
42%
Total
Disapprove
36%
Strongly approve
Somewhat approve
Somewhat disapprove
Strongly disapprove
Don’t know
Total
Approve
39%
Total
Disapprove
39%
February/March 2022 June 2022
9 In your personal opinion, do you think there is a great need, some need, a little need, or no real need for additional funds to provide the level of city services that Merced residents need and want? However, there was still a broad perceived
need for funding for city services.
44%
31%
10%
7%
7%
Great need
Some need
A little need
No real need
Don’t know
February/March 2022 June 2022
Great/
Some Need
76%
A Little/
No Real
Need
17%
44%
28%
9%
10%
8%
Great/
Some Need
72%
A Little/
No Real
Need
19%
10 Thee-quarters also see a need for funds to address
housing affordability and homelessness, with more
slightly more intensity around address homelessness.

In your personal opinion, do you think there is a great need, some need, a little need, or no real need for additional funds to address (SPLIT SAMPLE A: housing affordability) (SPLIT SAMPLE B: homelessness) in the City of Merced?
55%
18%
11%
14%
2%
Great need
Some need
A little need
No real need
Don’t know
Housing Affordability Homelessness
Great/
Some Need
72%
A Little/
No Real
Need
25%
61%
15%
8%
15%
1%
Great/
Some Need
76%
A Little/
No Real
Need
23%
11 Proposed Measures
for Measure C
Renewal and Housing
12 Comprehensive Renewal Measure
Including Housing
(Split C: Measure C Renewal With Housing). Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? City of Merced Vital Services Renewal/Housing Measure.

Shall a measure to maintain local services, such as
911 fire/police/medical/natural disaster response; community policing/gang prevention programs;
youth services/job training; pothole repair; other general city services, and provide funding for affordable
housing/addressing homelessness by renewing an existing voter-approved sales tax at the 1¢ rate, until ended by voters, providing approximately $13,000,000 annually, with citizen oversight, financial audits, all funds local,
be adopted?
Question reviewed by City Attorney: Half Sample; 50% Threshold 13 Two-thirds were supportive of a Measure C
renewal that included funding for housing.
(Split C).
25%
38%
4%
1%
16%
12%
4%
Definitely yes
Probably yes
Undecided, lean yes
Undecided, lean no
Probably no
Definitely no
Undecided
Total
Yes
67%
Total
No
28%
Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? Half Sample: Measure C Renewal With Housing
14 Measure C Renewal and
Housing Affordability Measures
(Split: Measure C Straight Renewal). Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? (Split : Sales Tax Dedicated to Housing). Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? City of Merced Vital Services Renewal
Measure. Shall a measure to maintain
local services—without raising current tax
rates—such as 911 fire/police/medical/
natural disaster response; community
policing/gang prevention programs; youth
services/job training; pothole repair;
housing/homeless services; and other
general city services, by renewing an
existing voter-approved ½¢ sales tax, until
ended by voters, providing approximately
$6,500,000 annually, with transparency,
independent audits, all funds local,
be adopted?
City of Merced Housing Affordability
Fund Measure. Shall a measure to provide
city funding for affordable housing options
for city residents/working families; such as
creating affordable housing with State
matching funds; providing rental and first-
time homebuyer assistance; addressing
homeless encampments; and providing
services to get residents off local streets,
by enacting a voter-approved ½¢ sales tax,
until ended by voters, providing
approximately $6,500,000 annually, with
citizen oversight, independent audits,
all funds local, be adopted?
Questions reviewed by City Attorney: Half Sample
67% Threshold50% Threshold
15 When split into two half-cent measures, support for
the renewal was consistent, but the dedicated
housing measure did not reach two-thirds.
(Split D) Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? 38%
35%
29%
23%
9%
10%
17%
26%
5%Measure C
Straight Renewal
Sales Tax Increase
Dedicated to Housing
Def. Yes Prob. Yes Und., Lean Yes Und., Lean No Prob. No Def. No Undecided Total Yes
Total
No
69% 26%
60% 36%
16 Funding Priorities
17 Respondents prioritized fire response,
911 emergency response, preventing gang
activity and homeless services.
^Not Part of Split Sample
I am going to read you a list of ways in which the funds generated by this measure could be spent and provisions that could be included. Please tell me how important that provision or use of funds is to you personally: is it extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not too important? 53%
52%
54%
46%
53%
51%
34%
30%
27%
34%
25%
26%
10%
14%
13%
12%
14%
14%
5%
6%
7%
9%
Responding quickly to
neighborhood fires
Protecting and maintaining
911 police response times
^Preventing gang activity in the city
Providing services to get homeless
residents off local streets
Creating jobs and job training
programs for young people
Providing affordable housing
options to working families
Ext. Impt. Very Impt. Smwt. Impt. Not Too Impt. Don't Know Ext./Very Impt.
87%
83%
82%
80%
78%
78%
18 Three-quarters said that addressing homeless
encampments ad supporting after-school activities
are very important priorities.

I am going to read you a list of ways in which the funds generated by this measure could be spent and provisions that could be included. Please tell me how important that provision or use of funds is to you personally: is it extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not too important? ^Not Part of Split Sample
Ext./Very
Impt.
69%
69%
67%
66%
63%
58%
58%
44%
44%
43%
43%
35%
37%
30%
25%
24%
24%
23%
28%
21%
28%
18%
17%
22%
24%
28%
19%
23%
11%
11%
8%
9%
8%
21%
16%
^Retaining qualified police officers
Providing affordable housing options to
city residents
Protecting and maintaining neighborhood
police patrols
Maintaining neighborhood-based policing
to help make areas surrounding our
schools and parks safer
^Fixing potholes
Providing first-time homebuyer assistance
Providing rental assistance
Ext. Impt. Very Impt. Smwt. Impt. Not Too Impt. Don't Know 20 The Impact of
Information
21 Supportive and Critical Statements
• Statements supportive of the measures included that the funds generated would fund crime and gang prevention, emergency response; street repair and maintenance, homeless services, making housing more affordable, and maintaining the local quality of life; that the funds would be under local control, subject to oversight, and allow access to matching funds; and that the tax would not apply to necessities. For the straight Measure C renewal, there was also a statement clarifying that it would not increase tax rates.
• Statements critical of the measures highlighted the regressive nature of sales taxes; argued that existing taxes are already too high and that the cost of living keeps increasing; asserted that funds would be wasted on high salaries and pensions and the City already has enough money; noted that the taxes would last forever; and argued that the funds should go to services that benefit all residents and not handouts to homeless people.

For the Measure C renewal with expansion, there was also a statement arguing that it was deceptively framed as a renewal when it is actually a sales tax increase.
22 Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? 67% 64%
52%
28% 29%
39%
4% 7% 9%
Initial
Vote
Vote
After Support
Vote
After Criticisms
Total Yes
Total No
Undecided
Support for the expanded Measure C renewal with housing remained above the 50% threshold throughout the survey with leans, although after critical statements support dropped within the margin of error and below 50% when “leans” are eliminated.

Half Sample: Measure C Renewal With Housing
47% without
those
“leaning yes”
23 (Split D) Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? (Split D) Do you think you would vote “yes” or “no” on this measure? 69% 73%
65% 60%
70%
62%
26% 25%
31% 36%
29%
35%
5% 2% 4% 4% 1% 3%
Initial
Vote
Vote
After
Support
Vote
After
Criticisms
Initial
Vote
Vote
After
Support
Vote
After
Criticisms
Total Yes
Total No
Undecided
Support for a Measure C renewal without housing
appeared consistently viable, while a dedicated
sales tax fell below two-thirds after criticisms.

Measure C Straight Renewal Measure
Dedicated to Housing
24 69% 73%
65% 68% 69% 66%
26% 25%
31% 26% 24% 27%
5% 2% 4% 6% 7% 7%
Initial
Vote
Vote
After
Support
Vote
After
Criticisms
Initial
Vote
Vote
After
Support
Vote
After
Criticisms
Total Yes
Total No
Undecided
Support for a straight Measure C renewal until
ended by voters was at similar levels earlier in 2022.

Measure C Straight Renewal
(Feb/March 2022)
Measure C Straight Renewal
(June 2022)
For more information,
contact:
1999 Harrison St., Suite 2020
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone (510) 451-9521
Fax (510) 451-0384
Curt Below
[email protected]
Lucia Del Puppo
[email protected]

City Council/Public Finance and Economic Development Authority/Parking AuthorityJune 21, 2022

City Council/Public Finance and Economic Development Authority/Parking Authority
June 21, 2022