Long-Term View Looks Pretty Good to Most Kentuckians

FRANKFORT, KY (May 21, 1998) — Kentuckians believe that the state is making good progress on long-term goals related to the economy, the environment and education, but not in the area of health care, according to a report released by the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center.

The Center asked citizens of the Commonwealth to assess the state's progress on key goals for the future. The Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center survey asked citizens if Kentucky is making progress, losing ground or standing still on 26 long-term goals dealing with such issues as health care, housing, education, economic development, the environment, and ethical, responsive government. The goals were developed with extensive citizen input and comment. The survey results suggest that citizens believe Kentucky is making good progress toward many of the goals. For example, 19 of the 26 goals are in making progress territory; in other words, they received a higher percentage of making progress votes than losing ground votes. Conversely, seven goals are seen as being, on balance, in losing ground territory.

The goal that received the highest percentage of making progress responses is Goal 15, Kentucky will benefit from participation in an integrated global economy. Goal 20, Kentucky will create an entrepreneurial economy, got the highest percentage of standing still votes. And the goal that garnered the highest percentage of losing ground responses is Goal 4, All Kentuckians will have access to affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care that stresses the importance of preventive care.

These citizens also listed the three goals they think are most important for Kentucky's future. The goal that received the most votes, by far, is Goal 7, Kentuckians will have an education system of lifelong learning that exemplifies excellence. The second and third most important goals, according to this group of Kentucky citizens, are, Goal 1, Kentucky communities will be safe and caring places that enable all citizens to lead productive, fulfilling lives, and Goal 4, All Kentuckians will have access to affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care that stresses the importance of preventive care.

The Center received a total of 639 assessment sheets, some of which were responses to an open invitation to participate in the survey or assessment, either by accessing the assessment via the Center's web page or by telephone or mail request. While the randomly selected pool of respondents was scientifically selected, the results of the survey are not scientifically valid. A measure of self selection among randomly selected households and the voluntary responses of citizens who accessed or requested assessment sheets resulted in an older, higher income, more educated, more male pool of respondents than the overall population of the state. One should note, however, that these respondents more closely resemble likely voters than nonvoters.

The survey is part of an ongoing Center project designed to establish a unifying vision and goals for the state and recognized measures of progress on each goal. The project was launched in 1994 with a series of public meetings in which citizens were asked to share their preferred vision of the state's future. Measures and Milestones 1998 is the second of planned biennial reports on the state's progress on each of the goals. The report includes proposed benchmarks of progress on each goal, some of which will include new information gleaned from statewide surveys conducted by the University of Kentucky Survey Research Center for the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center.

Interested citizens who wish to obtain a copy of the Measures and Milestones report are encouraged to write, phone, fax, or e-mail the Center.