Washington, D.C. – A new Mason-Dixon poll of Georgia voters reveals startling new concerns among residents about the impact of the state’s growing population pressures. By wide margins, Georgia voters see a deterioration in their quality of life because of overpopulation.
Only six percent of voters believe that the state needs to expand its population at all, yet the state is projected to increase its population by 46 percent, from 8.1 million today to 11.9 million in 25 years.
Key findings include:
• 69% believe that the quality of life in the state will deteriorate if current growth and population trends continue.
• 71% of Atlanta metro area voters describe the rate of new houses being built in their communities as “much too fast” or “a little too fast.”
• 65% of Georgia voters–and 81% in the Atlanta area–say that they are spending more time in traffic and less time with family as a result of the current pace of development and resulting traffic congestion.
• 74% are concerned about the level of immigration to the U.S. 79% are specifically concerned about the level of immigration to Georgia, and three in five oppose the amnesty for illegal immigrants currently being proposed in Congress.
• More than half (55%) don’t believe that state officials are effectively balancing growth with maintaining quality of life in the area.
NPG executive director Sharon McCloe Stein says the survey suggests Georgia voters would favor new controls on the rate of new residential development, new federal limits on immigration, and new controls on building and development throughout the state.
“When Georgia voters look into the future, they see a steady deterioration in their quality of life unless population pressures are reduced,” says Stein.
The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, for Negative Population Growth (NPG), a Washington-based population policy organization, from June 30 to July 3, 2001. The poll surveyed 631 registered voters in Georgia and has a margin of error of +/- 3.98%.
For comment or additional information, contact Alison Green at (202) 667-8950.
