Lindholm Company Blog

Though Lucy Vinis is only known by a little more than half of Eugeneans, she is personally well liked by those who know of her. Her favorability ratio of about four-to-one (40/11) is very good.

QUESTION: Now, I am going to read the names of some people and organizations. Please tell me whether you have heard of each: Lucy Vinis? IF HEARD OF … Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Lucy Vinis? IF FAVORABLE OR UNFAVORABLE: Is that strongly or somewhat?
METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of City of Eugene likely General Election voters were conducted each of September 13-15, 2016, December 2-3, 2016, and April 10-11, 2017. The margin of error at the sample median for each is 7%.

One way of seeing how low Mayor Vinis’ name familiarity is, is to compare her with the city councilors. Two, Betty Taylor and Mike Clark, are higher. Emily Semple is reasonably close. A mayor’s name familiarity should be much higher. Historically, it is generally in the 90s in Eugene.

QUESTION: City of Eugene Office of the Independent Auditor. The auditor would be elected to four-year terms, would operate separately from the city council and manager and would conduct financial, performance and other audits of all city operations and activities.
METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of City of Eugene likely General Election voters were conducted April 10-11, 2017. The margin of error at the sample median is 7%.
Lucy Vinis
Emily Semple
Betty Taylor
Alan Zelenka
George Poling
Mike Clark
Greg Evans
Claire Syrett
Chris Pryor

N.B. George Poling’s resignation from the council was effective the first day of survey interviewing.

Despite being mayor-elect for nearly a year, Mayor Lucy Vinis’ name familiarity has barely budged since the campaign ended.

QUESTION: Now, I am going to read the names of some people and organizations. Please tell me whether you have heard of each: Lucy Vinis?
METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of City of Eugene likely General Election voters were conducted each of September 13-15, 2016, December 2-3, 2016, and April 10-11, 2017. The margin of error at the sample median for each is 7%.

As a way of digging deeper into Eugene’s downtown rating, this question focuses on the transient population. The greatest change in the past two years has been the increase among those most negative (Bradshaw respondents).

QUESTION: Now, I am going to read statements from three fictitious people to you about the transient population in downtown Eugene and ask which one comes closest to your view: ROTATE ORDER
[The transient population in downtown Eugene]
Bradshaw:  ___  makes me feel much less safe and less likely to go to businesses there.
Philips: ___  makes me feel somewhat less safe and less likely to go to businesses there.
Andrews: ___  does not make me feel less safe and has no effect on whether I would go to businesses there.
METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of City of Eugene likely General Election voters were conducted each of June 1-2, 2015, September 21-22, 2015, December 1-2, 2015, September 13-15, 2016, and April 10-11, 2017. The margin of error at the sample median for each is 7%.

The “good” percentage has been generally decreasing and the “poor” and “fair” percentages have been generally increasing. The trend is clear: the perception of Downtown Eugene’s business environment is gradually declining.

QUESTION: How would you rate the business environment in downtown Eugene: excellent, good, fair, poor?
METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of City of Eugene likely General Election voters were conducted each of June 1-2, 2015, September 21-22, 2015, December 1-2, 2015, September 13-15, 2016, and April 10-11, 2017. The margin of error at the sample median for each is 7%.

Crime has become a dominant problem. The increase in “poor” ratings parallels a decrease in “Don’t Know” ratings which implies that the drop is partly due to the word getting out.

QUESTION: How would you rate the business environment in downtown Eugene: excellent, good, fair, poor?
METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of City of Eugene likely General Election voters were conducted each of June 1-2, 2015, September 21-22, 2015, December 1-2, 2015, September 13-15, 2016, and April 10-11, 2017. The margin of error at the sample median for each is 7%.

Eugenean’s ratings of downtown have fallen precipitously during the past two years. There has been a nearly constant drop in “good” ratings and rise in “poor” ratings.

Also note that this particular time series started two years ago and the trend has been reasonably consistent.

QUESTION: How would you rate the business environment in downtown Eugene: excellent, good, fair, poor?
METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of City of Eugene likely General Election voters were conducted each of June 1-2, 2015, September 21-22, 2015, December 1-2, 2015, September 13-15, 2016, and April 10-11, 2017. The margin of error at the sample median for each is 7%.

This chart highlights the seasonality of attitudes on homelessness in Eugene. Support for relaxing the regulations is greatest, though not even then a plurality, during the colder months. Last September, however, the attitude was strongly negative.

QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of the City of Eugene relaxing code enforcement on homeless camping?
IF APPROVE/DISAPPROVE: Is that strongly or somewhat?
IF DON’T KNOW: Which way do you lean?

METHODOLOGY: 200 live telephone interviews of likely City of Eugene General election voters were conducted December 1-2, 2015, and February 22-23 and September 13-15, 2016.The margin of error at the sample median for this surveys is 7%. In addition, 240 live telephone interviews of likely City of Eugene General election voters were conducted November 29 through December 1, 2016. The margin of error at the sample median for this survey is 6%.

There is no strong support for relaxing homeless code enforcement. It is worth noting that this survey was conducted after Thanksgiving and the weather had started to turn wintry.

QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of the City of Eugene relaxing code enforcement on homeless camping?
IF APPROVE/DISAPPROVE: Is that strongly or somewhat?
IF DON’T KNOW: Which way do you lean?

METHODOLOGY: 240 live telephone interviews of likely City of Eugene General election voters were conducted November 29 through December 1, 2016. The margin of error at the sample median is 6%.

Eugeneans solidly support renaming Broadway Plaza as Kesey Square.

QUESTION: Do you support or oppose renaming downtown’s Broadway Plaza as Kesey Square?
IF SUPPORT/OPPOSE: Is that strongly or somewhat?
IF DON’T KNOW: Which way do you lean?

METHODOLOGY: 240 live telephone interviews of likely City of Eugene General election voters were conducted November 29 through December 1, 2016. The margin of error at the sample median is 6%.