Since 2002, one of the largest shifts has been in residents’ perspective about how in sync community leaders are with public opinion. Five years ago, 48% of Dutchess County residents felt there was a disconnect between local decision makers and the public, but a large proportion, 42%, believed leaders mostly saw things the way the public did. This represented a gap of only six percentage points between those who felt local leaders were out of step and those who felt they were, in fact, in step with public opinion.
There has been a dramatic change in opinion from five years ago. Today, of the seven counties included in the larger study of the Mid-Hudson region, Dutchess County residents are most likely to think there is a difference between the views of decision makers and the public. 65% of Dutchess County residents think their leaders do not represent the views of residents and only 29% think they do. This reflects a gap of thirty-six percentage points.
This shift in perspective is not wholly limited to residents of Dutchess County. People living throughout the Mid-Hudson region are more skeptical of their leaders’ responsiveness than they were five years ago. However, the change in outlook is considerably more pronounced among Dutchess County residents than it is elsewhere in the region.
Income plays a role in county residents’ skepticism. While a majority of residents from all income backgrounds think their leaders are out of step, residents with lower income are generally more critical of those in leadership positions than residents in households with higher income.
Only 24% of Dutchess County residents in households that earn an annual income of less than $50,000 believe decision makers see things the way they do. This compares with 33% of residents earning $50,000 or more who share this view.
