San Diego, CA – San Diego County residents are cautiously optimistic about the Metro area’s economic future, with six-in-ten expecting better times ahead, according to a new poll of 1,041 San Diego County residents conducted by Probe Research for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The online survey reveals that 59 percent of San Diegans describe themselves as being optimistic about the region’s economic future. Of this 59 percent, most described themselves as being somewhat optimistic (50%) with an additional nine percent reporting they were very optimistic about the region’s economy.

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San Diego, CA – With just weeks to go until San Diegans cast ballots in a primary election, a new survey released exclusively to the Union Tribune by Probe Research reveals that California State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher has separated from the pack and is now the front-runner in the race to become San Diego’s next mayor.

Mr. Fletcher, who is running as an independent, is leading the four-candidate primary race with 38 percent support among decided voters. This survey of 576 San Diego residents also shows that Republican-backed candidate and city councilmember Carl DeMaio (26%) and Democratic candidate and U.S. Rep. Bob Filner (24%) are neck-and-neck as they compete for the “must have” second spot on the November mayoralty ballot. San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, meanwhile, sits well back with just nine percent support among decided voters. (Three percent of those surveyed indicated that they will cast ballots for another candidate).

The race remains extremely volatile, however, as nearly one-half of San Diegans who intend to vote in the June 5th primary election (47%) indicate that they have yet to decide which candidate they will support.

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Labels: Bob Filner, Bonnie Dumanis, Carl DeMaio, Nathan Fletcher, Probe Research, San Diego issues, San Diego mayoral race

San Diego, CA – San Diego Chargers fans may be seeking a new venue for their team to dazzle them with their play, but county residents do not want public funds to be used to build a new home for the city’s NFL team, a Probe Research survey conducted for the San Diego Union-Tribune reveals.

One-half of San Diego County adults (49%) oppose using public money to finance a new NFL stadium, including 32 percent who strongly reject this idea and an additional 17 percent who are moderately against it. One-quarter of county residents (27%), meanwhile, endorse using tax dollars to build a new home for the Chargers, including 12 percent who strongly support and 15 percent who moderately support this measure.

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Labels: NFL, Probe Research, San Diego Chargers, San Diego issues

San Diego, CA – Three San Diego County landmarks – the cross on Mount Soledad, the sailor and nurse statue on the San Diego waterfront and the so-called “Surfing Madonna” mosaic of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Encinitas – have been the focus of some debate recently. A new survey by Probe Research released exclusively to the San Diego Union-Tribune reveals that an overwhelming majority of San Diego County residents wish to keep these icons publicly on view, with only a minority of those surveyed agreeing with calls to remove these installations from San Diego County’s public spaces.

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Labels: Mount Soledad, Probe Research, San Diego issues, Surfing Madonna

Winnipeg – Even in the absence of a new leader (or very many candidates vying to replace the outgoing party boss) and without a chance of forming government for another three-and-a-half years, Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative party has managed to leapfrog the governing New Democratic Party and become the top choice of decided Manitoba voters. This is according to a Probe Research telephone survey of 1,000 Manitoba adults conducted exclusively for the Winnipeg Free Press.

Six months after the NDP won a fourth majority government, the PCs have edged slightly higher in popular support, from 43 percent in the 2011 election to 45 percent today (+2%). Support for the NDP, meanwhile, has dropped significantly – from 47 percent when ballots were cast last October to just 40 percent in this current sounding (-7%). Support for the Liberal Party (+2%, from 8% to 10%) and other parties (5%, up from 3%) has remained essentially stable since last fall’s provincial election. Overall, one-in-four voters (25%) are undecided or refuse to say which party they would support in a hypothetical election.

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Labels: Manitoba Liberal Party, Manitoba politics, NDP, Probe Research, Progressive Conservative Party

Winnipeg – More than one-half of Winnipeg adults see the City of Winnipeg Police Department’s reported crackdown on traffic violations as a means to raise money for the City rather than a sincere effort to make Winnipeg’s streets safer, a new Probe Research Inc. survey conducted for the Winnipeg Free Press finds.

When asked if they believe the Winnipeg Police Service's recent decision to conduct more traffic enforcement is intended to raise revenue from fines or about keeping the roads safe, a majority of city adults (56%) expressed the view that it is mainly a money-making ploy. More than one-in-four respondents (27%), on the other hand, believe that the extra enforcement is intended to make Winnipeg’s streets safer, while one-in-ten adults (11%) believe that these steps are designed to achieve both financial and road safety goals. Two percent, meanwhile, said this was being done for some other reason, while four percent were undecided.

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Labels: City of Winnipeg, Probe Research, traffic enforcement, Winnipeg issues, Winnipeg Police Service

For Immediate Release

Winnipeg (March 14, 2012) – With more attention being focused on the importance of conserving water, a new survey suggests Americans are less likely than Canadians to take small steps around the home to save water.

Probe Research’s bi-national survey on water, A Clear Perspective U.S.A./Canada, measures the extent to which Canadians and Americans engage in water saving practices. Respondents were presented with list of water-saving practices and were asked whether or not they “never”, “rarely”, “sometimes” or “always” pursue these activities around their homes.

The most recent U.S. survey results suggest that Americans are less conscientious than Canadians have been about these water conservation measures. For instance:

- Slightly less than three-quarters of Americans (74%) report that they “always” repair leaks quickly, compared to 81 percent of Canadians who reported doing this in 2010.

- Six-in-ten Canadians (62%) “always” water their garden in the evening, compared to just 55 percent of Americans.

- One-half of Canadians (51%) limit their shower time to eight minutes or less, while fewer than one-in-three Americans (32%) do so.

- Just one-in-three Americans (36%) report that they have installed water-efficient fixtures in their households, compared to 47% of Canadians.

On other measures, residents of the two countries have more in common when it comes to saving water:

- The vast majority of research participants in both countries reported that they always avoid running appliances such as a dishwasher or washing machine until they have a full load (82% “always” among Canadians and 78% among Americans).

- A slim majority of Canadians and Americans always avoid running the tap while brushing their teeth, washing their hands or shaving (53% in Canada and 52% in the U.S.).

Download the entire report (including charts and methodology).