Indicator: 65 - Satisfaction With State Government

Why This Is Important

Value of services for amount of money paid (in this case, taxes) is a good measure of
efficiency. People’s perception of the efficiency of state government is an important
component of their satisfaction with government, and satisfaction with government is
important to foster economic growth.

 

 

Where We Stand

On this indicator, respondents to the telephone interview were asked, “How would you
rate the value of State services that you get for the taxes that you pay to the State?” For
2004, only 34% of the respondents rated state services as “good” or “excellent.” This is
a significant drop from 2001 when that rating was at 50%.

Data Sources and Context

Data on this indicator comes from a statewide telephone survey of Maine households
with children present who are age 18 or younger. The respondents to this survey were
adults in the household who self-identified as a parent. The indicator is similar to indicators
used by the Maine Development Foundation in their previous surveys of Maine citizens, or
other national surveys of families, so that the data could be used to monitor trends over time
and to compare Maine to the nation. This 2004/5 survey was conducted by Critical Insights,
a strategic marketing research firm in Portland, Maine. During the months of December 2004
and January 2005, 400 Maine adults responded to the survey.

The adults were asked the following: “How would you rate the value of Maine state government services that you get for the taxes you pay to the State?”