Mid-Hudson Valley residents divide over whether their community allocates the right amount of resources toward recreational activities for children and teenagers. 47% feel not enough is being spent while 45% think the amount of funding is about right.
Residents’ attitudes today are fairly comparable to their opinions in 2002 when 48% believed too little was being spent on this issue, and 42% thought the level of funding was reasonable.
At the county level, Putnam County residents are most likely to think enough resources are being allocated for recreational activities for children and teenagers. 50% of Putnam County residents believe enough money is being spent on this issue in the community compared with 41% who believe more resources should be allocated.
The greatest change in opinion on this issue since 2002 has taken place among residents of Columbia and Ulster Counties. Five years ago, 53% of Columbia County residents believed there were not enough monies being directed toward recreational activities for children and teenagers, and just 40% thought spending was on target. Today, the divide has narrowed. 46% of Columbia County residents think there is a shortfall of dollars in this area compared with 47% who believe the amount of funding is about right.
The gap has also closed in Ulster County. 43% of Ulster County residents believe more money should be expended by the community for these activities and a slim plurality, 48%, now thinks the current level of spending is adequate. Five years ago, 50% of Ulster County residents believed funding was too low.
Sullivan County residents are the most dissatisfied with the amount of resources allocated for recreational activities. 62% of county residents think funding for recreational activities for children and teenagers is too low.
Not surprisingly, parents with children under the age of eighteen, particularly single parents and parents with low income, are more likely to believe the community should be spending more on recreational activities for children and teens.
There is also a racial divide. African Americans and Latinos are considerably less satisfied with the level of funding for recreational activities than white residents.
