Results: Community Voice Survey

Senator Fred Akshar this week released the results of his Community Voice Survey on issues facing constituents across the 52nd Senate District.
 

“Listening to the people has been my priority from Day One,” said Senator Fred Akshar. “These past few months, I've been blessed to have had conversations throughout the 52nd district at our Pop-Up Offices and other events, but there's always more I can learn.”

Earlier this year, Akshar distributed his first Community Voice Survey throughout his district. Responses were collected via mail and his website, Akshar.NYSenate.Gov. Over 5,000 digital and physical responses were received from local constituents weighing in on issues ranging from the state business climate, the heroin epidemic and ethics reforms.

“If we're going to be successful as a community, elected officials need to be open and accessible to the people,” said Akshar. “This survey is another way to stay engaged with the people I represent.”

Results: The Best Way to Stimulate Job Creation in the Southern Tier
48% - Reducing Regulations and Red Tape
37% - Cutting Taxes for Small Business
8% - Targeted Public Investment
7% - Tax-Free Programs like START-UP NY for New Companies

“The responses we received from the survey mirror the conversations I've had with local business owners: Small businesses know how to create jobs, they don't need Albany telling them how to succeed,” said Akshar. “The message to State Government is simple: Stay out of the way and let business thrive on its own.”

Results: What Needs the Most Attention in Fighting Our Community's Heroin Epidemic?
29% - Enforcement
28% - Prevention
25% - Treatment Access
17% - Education

Results: Do You Support Supervised Heroin Injection Sites to Prevent Overdoses?
82% - No
18% - Yes

“Community members were evenly divided on how to fight heroin,” said Akshar. “To me, this reinforces the need for a multi-faceted approach in fighting the heroin epidemic, with the help of the entire community and every level of government. Respondents did agree that supervised heroin injection sites were not a good idea.”

Results: Do you think public officials found guilty of corruption in relation to their position should forfeit their pensions?
95% - Yes
5% - No

Results: Should taxpayer dollars be used to fund political campaign ads, mail and robocalls?
95% - No
5% - Yes

“The people expect and deserve the highest ethical standards from their elected officials,” said Senator Fred Akshar. “That's why I cosponsored legislation to strip pensions from convicted public servants. While more ethics reforms are needed, the people I represent were clear that using public taxpayer dollars to finance political campaigns is unacceptable.”

Results: Do you think the Governor’s proposed $15/hr minimum wage increase is a good idea for our community?
80% - No
20% - Yes

Results: Do you agree with the Governor’s proposal to require 12 weeks of paid family leave taken from small deductions from employees' paychecks?
70% - Disagree
30% - Agree

Results: Do you support legalizing the farming of industrial hemp?
58% - Yes
42% - No

Results: What best describes your view on the SAFE Act?
51% - Repeal all of it
31% - Repeal certain parts
17% - Keep it as it is

Results: Do you support legalizing MMA?
59% - Yes
41% - No

Results: If your Town had funds for Capital Improvement Projects, what would be most important to you?
50% - Demolishing blighted property
17% - Shared service equipment
15% - Energy-efficiency improvements
10% - Parks improvements
8% - Downtown beautification
 

"We live in a very diverse state with many different opinions on the issues, even within the borders of the 52nd Senate District,” said Senator Fred Akshar. “My goal is to work hard to find the right compromises to help improve the lives of the people I represent.”