1. Overall, how would you rate the current state of the economy in the Bay Area?

4% 1. Very Good
20% 2. Good
50% 3. OK
20% 4. Poor
5% 5. Very Poor
1% 6. Not Sure

2. A year from now, how do you think the Bay Area economy will be doing?

26% 1. Will be Better
16% 2. Will be Worse
50% 3. About the Same
8% 4. Not Sure

3. Which of the following do you think is the single biggest threat to the economy in 2005?

4% 1. Low consumer spending
8% 2. Higher interest rates
13% 3. Weak dollar/trade deficit
15% 4. Budget deficit
23% 5. Energy costs/policies
8% 6. High taxes
8% 7. Terrorism
12% 8. Iraq war
5% 9. Other
4% 10. Not sure

4. Which of the following do you think is the next biggest threat to the economy in 2005?

6% 1. Low consumer spending
7% 2. Higher interest rates
14% 3. Weak dollar/trade deficit
20% 4. Budget deficit
22% 5. Energy costs/policies
9% 6. High taxes
7% 7. Terrorism
12% 8. Iraq war
2% 9. Other
1% 10. Not sure

5. How are things going financially for you and your family at this time?

8% 1. Very Well
24% 2. Well
46% 3. OK
16% 4. Poorly
6% 5. Very Poorly

6. How do you think things will be going financially for you and your family a year from now?

26% 1. Will be Better
12% 2. Will be Worse
52% 3. About the Same
10% 4. Not Sure

7. Overall, which of the following best describes your current economic situation?

23% 1. It is easy to make ends meet and pay for extra things you want to buy
56% 2. You can make ends meet but are holding back spending on nonessential items
20% 3. It is difficult just to make ends meet
1% 4. Not sure

8. Please indicate which of the following if any, are significant problems for you and your family?

56% 1. Cost of Gas
38% 2. Cost you pay for health insurance
22% 3. Cost you pay for prescription drugs
40% 4. Cost of housing
60% 5. Your wages/income not keeping up with the cost of living

9. Compared with a year ago, are you making more purchases on your credit cards, more purchases with cash, or are you using each about the same amount?

19% 1. More on credit cards
28% 2. More with cash
51% 3. Each about the same
2% 4. Not sure

10. Has the price of Bay Area real estate had a significant impact on you and your family?

48% 1. Yes
48% 2. No
4% 3. Not sure

11. Do you own or rent your home?

67% 1. Own
28% 2. Rent/Lease
4% 3. Live with parents

12. Would you like to purchase a home someday in the Bay Area?

73% 1. Yes
20% 2. No
7% 3. Not sure

13. Do you think you will be able to someday purchase a home in the Bay Area?

12% 1. Yes
63% 2. No
25% 3. Not sure

14. In the past three years, have you refinanced your home mortgage?

54% 1. Yes
46% 2. No

15. How many times have you refinanced your home in the past three years?

71% 1. Once
25% 2. Twice
4% 3. Three or more times

16. A year from now, do you think Bay Area home prices will be higher, lower or about the same?

68% 1. Higher
7% 2. Lower
18% 3. About the same
7% 4. Not sure

Survey Background Facts

Dates of Interviews: July 15th - 19th, 2005
Number of Interviews: 1,227 Bay Area Residents
Conducted Online by: Hertz Research, Petaluma, CA

How ABC7 Listens Polls are Conducted and Potential Sources of Error

ABC7 Listens Polls are conducted by Hertz Research of Petaluma, California. The polls are conducted online among Bay Area residents who registered in advance to participate in the ABC7 Listens Polling program. In order to create samples as representative of the entire Bay Area population as possible, the results for each poll are statistically weighted using a variety of demographic factors provided by respondents during the registration process. These statistical weighting procedures also take into account differences between groups of people who tend to use or not use the Internet.

Regardless of methodology, all polls are potentially affected by a number of factors that may influence their accuracy. A common source for survey inaccuracy is sampling error. The number of respondents largely determines sampling error. Statistical theory indicates that in the case of a poll with this sample size (1,227 Total Interviews), 95 percent of the time the results of a survey of this size would be the same as interviewing the entire population of the Bay Area, give or take approximately three percent. This is not a probability sample.

However, other sources of error also can impact the accuracy of poll results conducted online and with other techniques. These include but are not limited to the percentage of the population choosing to participate, the likelihood a possible respondent is at home or connected to the Internet, the wording, and ordering of questions, and the techniques used to determine possible survey participants and likely voters. The cumulative impact of all of these potential sources of error is impossible to assess precisely.

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