Many Mid-Hudson Valley residents consider environmental issues such as protecting open space, improving the quality of drinking water, increasing the number of public areas, and balancing growth with the environment as important concerns. However, when posed against a number of other issues such as jobs, taxes, the economy, health care, education, and crime, most residents do not rank environmental concerns as high a priority for the region. Read more
Protecting open space continues to be an important priority for many residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley. 32% of residents give it a top score of 10. Overall, the issue yields an average score of 7.4 relatively unchanged from the average score of 7.3 it received in 2002. Read more
Improving the quality of water that is supplied to homes is an important priority for more than three out of ten residents in the Mid-Hudson region. But, it continues to rank low on residents’ list of priorities for the region. When asked to rate improving the quality of drinking water as a community priority, 31% of all residents give this issue a score of 10. Overall, it yields an average score of 6.6 and ranks fifteenth among nineteen issues. Read more
By more than a two-to-one margin, most Mid-Hudson Valley residents continue to think that local spending on water and air quality is on target. Read more
Increasing the number of public areas such as parks and playgrounds also does not rank highly on the list of priorities for Mid-Hudson Valley residents. This issue ranks sixteenth out of nineteen issues receiving the same rank it had in 2002. Overall, it gets an average rating of just 6.4 out of 10 although 18% of residents believe it deserves a score of 10. Read more
Although one in five Mid-Hudson Valley residents rate slowing growth and development as an important issue, it does not resonate with many residents as a high priority for the region. Read more
46% of Mid-Hudson Valley residents believe the pace of growth is just about right while 33% think there has been too much development in their communities. Only one in five residents believes there has been too little growth and development in their local area. Read more
Although environmental issues do not rank as highly as other priorities for the region, many Mid-Hudson Valley residents consider protecting the environment and preserving the character of the community to be important.
Protecting open spaces is the environmental issue that resonates with the largest number of residents in the Mid-Hudson region. A considerable proportion of residents also think water quality, increasing public areas, and limiting growth are important priorities. However, when ranked against many other issues, these environmental priorities are not as pressing for residents.
Most residents are generally satisfied with the quality of the water and air in their community although there is a considerable minority that feels there is a need for improvement. Finally, although a plurality of Mid-Hudson Valley residents are satisfied with the pace of growth locally, residents’ opinions about development differ along county lines.
