Three-quarters of Marylanders think that it should be a higher priority of the state to take steps to create jobs and improve Maryland’s economy, compared to only 15 percent who say the state’s higher priority should be to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, according to a poll released this weekend.
The poll – by Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies– also found that fewer than a third of Marylanders support enacting new taxes or fees to help the bay today, while 55 percent said the state should wait until economic conditions improve.
Gonzales Research asked the questions about jobs and bay cleanup during a statewide poll it conducted Jan. 13 to Jan. 17. The firm released some results publicly last week, including how Marylanders feel about economic conditions, and how Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Gov. Robert Ehrlich might fare in a potential rematch this fall.
Gonzales typically asks additional questions for paying clients – in this case, the Maryland State Builders Association – but does not release the results publicly, instead submitting a private poll memo to the clients. A complete copy of the poll was obtained by Center Maryland.
In terms of what Marylanders believe has the most negative impact on the Chesapeake Bay, 47 percent say that it’s runoff from agricultural fertilizers, 18 percent say runoff from home lawn treatments, 15 percent say commercial construction, and 5 percent say home construction. Six in 10 Marylanders said they would support a $5-per-application tax on fertilizer applications and chemical law treatments on residential properties to support Chesapeake Bay cleanup, according to the survey.
The prioritization of job creation in Maryland over protecting the Chesapeake Bay was consistent across political party, gender and race, according to the poll, including 84 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Republicans.
Among African-American voters, 89 percent said job creation and economic growth should be a higher priority than reducing bay pollution, while only 2 percent said the bay should be the higher priority.
While the majority of Marylanders said that any new taxes and fees for Chesapeake Bay cleanup and restoration should wait until the economy improves, about a third of Marylanders said they would eventually be willing to pay up to an extra $100 per year. Another 6 percent said they would be willing to pay an extra $250 per year, and 3 percent said up to $500 per year. The poll found that 46 percent did want any additional amount.
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People often don't realize the amount of jobs associated with having a clean bay. Watermen, processing plants, restaraunts, boat builders, tackle shops, charter captains, truckers are just a few of those relying on the Bay for commerce.
ReplyDeleteWe are dumping more than enough money into the bay now. Don't forget the flush tax. This is just another way of taxing people to death. Try this, just don't continue polluting the bay with baltimore sewage and that is a good start. Why would anyone trust the democrats of this state to spend the money on the bay even it they get it, they are all crooks.
ReplyDeletewait until better times to clean up the bay? we had better times and the bay is dirtier now than it's ever been. what a shame, cleaning the bay should be a priority for the region! I am by no means a tree hugger but the chesapeake is the golden jewel for this area, and industry and others are treating it like their personal dump.
ReplyDeleteBe a shame when your grandchildren can't fish it or even stick a toe in it becasue of all the pollution!
It's time to stop the enviro-nazis, like the Wicomico Environmental Trust and Chesapeake Bay Foundation, before it's too late.
ReplyDelete90% of the pollution that goes into the Bay is from the Western Shore but they would rather blame it on the Eastern Shore farmer. Don't believe anything these people say. They still worship Al Gore.
ReplyDelete2:56 cite your facts. The Chesapeake is an estuary that is at collects from many river systems and water ways in MD,DE,VA and PA. it isn't just MD's problem. it also has to do with the fact that the large chicken processors have no system of disposing of chicken waste that wont just run off into the streams. It isn't to blame just on the Western Shore, it IS the farmers, but it is their "bosses" like Perdue and Tyson who should be taking more responsible steps.
ReplyDeletei agree with the first person who posted, there are so many jobs around the bay that are closely tied to it. some people are so short sighted that they can't see the full picture of environmental preservation IS job security for many.