New survey shows arena measures still very much alive

[Arena Skeptic]

According to a new News10 poll, Q&R are still very much alive:

http://www.kxtv10.com/storyfull2.aspx?storyid=20908

New Survey Shows Arena Sales Tax Measures Still Alive
Written for the web by George Warren, Reporter

Despite campaign missteps, a new survey commissioned by News10 shows Sacramento County voters might still approve Measures Q and R.

The News10/SurveyUSA poll of 500 Sacramento County adults was conducted on Monday.

Asked if they believe a downtown sports and entertainment district like the one that would be created by Measures Q and R is a good idea, 53 percent said yes.

The survey also found residents almost evenly split on whether a new arena should be built with private money or with a combination of private and public money.

Measures Q and R would build a new $550 million sports and entertainment facility, presumably in the downtown railyards, with money raised through a quarter-cent sales tax increase. Although no formal agreement has been reached with the owners of the Sacramento Kings, they've previously offered to share some of the costs.

The News10/SurveyUSA poll also suggests the backers of Measures Q and R could do a better job educating the public in the final two weeks of the campaign. Only 20 percent of those surveyed said they were "very familiar" with the wording of Measures Q and R.

The margin of error is plus or minus 4.5 percent.

"This shows we've made headway," said campaign spokesman Doug Elmets. "The results of the survey are positive and consistent with what we've been hearing from the public."

Although a majority of those surveyed would like to see a downtown sports and entertainment facility, they also don't believe ARCO Arena necessarily needs to be replaced. Only 42 percent said a new arena for the Kings and other sports and entertainment events is needed.

The campaign for Measures Q and R has struggled since the official kickoff at the railyards September 6. At the event, Kings owner Joe Maloof first suggested negotiations to build an arena at the railyards had broken down.

The Maloof family has not contributed to the campaign, despite what insiders say was a pledge of $1.5 million.

Thomas Enterprises, the developer of the railyards, initially pledged $2 million but has so far contributed just half that to the campaign.

Reading the polling numbers behind the story, though, I think the article spins it a bit. I think this poll is more of a "Do you support, in theory, an arena funded by public and private sources in the railyard?", to which I would certainly say yes. However, that does not translate into support for Q&R in the general public.

I walked past the Q&R headquarters today. Deserted. Anyone out there need a lawn sign? Sheesh. They have CASES of them stacked about 6 deep. Well, if those things cost 50 cents each to print, at least we know how $200,000 of their funds got spent. Okay, I'm exaggerating. But seriously, they got LOADS of those signs, and I could not see a person inside (but since the door was open, someone obviously was there).

 

[VF21]

As far as the signs go, I think that's a new shipment they were expecting. So don't read too much into them sitting at Q&R headquarters.

 

[VF21]

Here are the survey results (from http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=a0f6e965-8c20-416f-8e59-4524130e9736&c=32) I haven't broken down the demographics but they are available at that link.

1. Do you think a new arena for the Sacramento Kings and for other sports and entertainment events is? Or is not? needed?

Is needed - 42%
Not needed - 55%
Not sure - 4%

2. If a new arena is built, do you think it should be entirely paid for with public money? Entirely paid for with private money? Or a combination of both?

All public $ - 2%
All private $ - 48%
Both - 49%
Not sure - 1%

3. Do you think a downtown entertainment and sports district, like the one that could be created by Sacramento County Measures Q & R, is a good idea? ... Or a bad idea? ... for Sacramento?

Good idea - 53%
Bad idea - 39%
Not sure - 8%

4. How familiar are you with the wording of Sacramento County Measures Q & R? Very familiar or not at all familiar?

Very - 20%
Somewhat - 33%
Not very - 28%
Not at all - 19%
Not sure - 1%

5. Based on what you know, would you say you completely understand what will happen if the measures pass? Do you partially understand what will happen? Or do you not understand what will happen?

Completely understand - 50%
Partially understand - 45%
Do not understand - 4%
Not sure - 1%

 

[JB_kings]

Here's one last tounge in cheek poll question:

Would you give nearly a billion dollars to the billionaire Maloof family?

No - 99%
Yes - 0%
Not sure - 1%

Jokes aside, this is what it the issue got twisted into. To a good many voters, this is exactly what Q&R are about. And that is why it won't pass.

 

[kennadog]

Here's one last tounge in cheek poll question:

Would you give nearly a billion dollars to the billionaire Maloof family?

No - 99%
Yes - 0%
Not sure - 1%

Jokes aside, this is what it the issue got twisted into. To a good many voters, this is exactly what Q&R are about. And that is why it won't pass.

Yes, it seems to be how an awful lot of people vote these days. Vote on unsubstantiated sound bites.

And they aren't even billionaires. I'm a little slow on the uptake, but the Maloofs see the Carls Jrs ad as poking fun at themselves, at their image. I had read they weren't billionaires, but I thought something could've changed.

Finally dawned on me that the "Net worth: one billion" was meant as a joke, too. To poke fun at constantly being called billionaires in the Sacramento media *cough* Graswich *cough.*

Forbes lists the world's billionaires every year. No Maloofs.

http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/

 

[JB_kings]

The commercial doesn't bother me as much as it does some. We in Sacramento are Kings oriented. The rest of the nation sees that commercial and thinks about the Palms Casino. That was a shrewd move by the Maloofs to get a casino commercial into a fast food advert.

 

[VF21]

Okay, back to this survey...

I think the most interesting question is the one most people seem to be overlooking.

The one thing no one really knows is what will happen if Q & R pass, because the developer doesn't own the land yet, there is no agreement between the city/county and the Maloofs, and there is - of course - no agreement between the city/county/Maloofs and the developer.

Yet a full 50% of the people surveyed said they completely understand what will happen if the measures pass.

 

[bringbackbobby]

Okay, back to this survey...

I think the most interesting question is the one most people seem to be overlooking.

The one thing no one really knows is what will happen if Q & R pass, because the developer doesn't own the land yet, there is no agreement between the city/county and the Maloofs, and there is - of course - no agreement between the city/county/Maloofs and the developer.

Yet a full 50% of the people surveyed said they completely understand what will happen if the measures pass.

I completely understand what will happen if the measure passes also...

I won't be able to afford a gallon of milk,

My family will starve and my wife and three children will leave me to move in with her parents in Idaho.

I'll have to sell my house and move out of state.

The Maloofs will become masters of the universe from the revenue gained from the quarter cent sales tax and destroy life on planet earth as we know it.

What's not to understand?

 

[VF21]

Oh ... you're right. How silly of me.

 

[slugking50]

I completely understand what will happen if the measure passes also...

I won't be able to afford a gallon of milk,

My family will starve and my wife and three children will leave me to move in with her parents in Idaho.

I'll have to sell my house and move out of state.

The Maloofs will become masters of the universe from the revenue gained from the quarter cent sales tax and destroy life on planet earth as we know it.

What's not to understand?

Awesome!

 

[kennadog]

Made my day with that post bringbackbobby.

 

[bringbackbobby]

Made my day with that post bringbackbobby.

Glad I could help!

 

[Arena Skeptic]

Okay, back to this survey...

I think the most interesting question is the one most people seem to be overlooking.

The one thing no one really knows is what will happen if Q & R pass, because the developer doesn't own the land yet, there is no agreement between the city/county and the Maloofs, and there is - of course - no agreement between the city/county/Maloofs and the developer.

Yet a full 50% of the people surveyed said they completely understand what will happen if the measures pass.

There is one unfortunate/ironic side-effect from what you're saying, though: Since we don't really know for sure what we're voting on, that's a pretty good argument to vote no. How do we know that the ultimate deal won't be 10,000 parking spots, Maloofs pay $1/year in rent, and the JPA gets to pay the management costs to boot?

We don't.

And yes, I know that differs radically from the proposed (and expired) term sheet. I'm just saying this to illustrate a point.

It really just proves my point: The pols messed up here. Not the Maloofs; not the developer; not the voters. Three guys messed up; Fong, Dickinson and Steinberg.

I'm sorry to be repititious here. I just wanted to point out the irony in your comment.

The only thing I was ever going to vote yes on was a signed contract that needed only voter approval to proceed. Maloofs need to be warned about that; if the next iteration of this also involves an advisory measure to negotiate with MSE and a sales tax, it'll be DOA.

 

[kennadog]

There is one unfortunate/ironic side-effect from what you're saying, though: Since we don't really know for sure what we're voting on, that's a pretty good argument to vote no.

Maloofs need to be warned about that; if the next iteration of this also involves an advisory measure to negotiate with MSE and a sales tax, it'll be DOA.

I'd understand anyone choosing to vote no on that basis. It doesn't negate reasons why people might vote yes, however.

As to the second point, I can't imagine that they would repeat exactly the same mistake. If the next iteration of a deal requires an election vote, they have 2 years to come up with a more complete presentation than this. As long as they don't wait until the last minute again.

 

[kupman]

AS, I agree with much of what you say - however:

There is one unfortunate/ironic side-effect from what you're saying, though: Since we don't really know for sure what we're voting on, that's a pretty good argument to vote no. How do we know that the ultimate deal won't be 10,000 parking spots, Maloofs pay $1/year in rent, and the JPA gets to pay the management costs to boot?

I believe the public is often asked to vote on vague measures - see Proposition 1E issues. I agree that vagueness might be a reason to lean towards "no," but it seems vagueness is pretty common.

It really just proves my point: The pols messed up here. Not the Maloofs; not the developer; not the voters. Three guys messed up; Fong, Dickinson and Steinberg.

I do not fault any one party more than the other at this point. They all share fault for this poorly contructed idea. Everyone loses here and should share equal responsibility for the loss.

 

[bringbackbobby]

I believe the public is often asked to vote on vague measures - see Proposition 1E issues. I agree that vagueness might be a reason to lean towards "no," but it seems vagueness is pretty common.

I agree the public is asked to vote on vagueness more often than not... my problem is that this now goes beyond vagueness. This is like being put on a basketball court, all by yourself and told to score one for the home team - only, you don't know which hoop is yours, and no one else does either. Lame analogy... but I think it works.