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What issues do San Franciscans think are most
important? The Binder Poll tells all.

In mid January, 2004, David Binder Research conducted a poll of 600 San Franciscans for one of the measures on the March ballot. Voters were asked an open-ended question: What is the most important public policy issue facing San Francisco today? Respondents were not led in any way, nor given specific answers from which to choose, and were allowed to identify up to three issues. Answers were coded into 18 categories. Results are listed below:

% of San Franciscans who ranked issues as top priorities
Homelessness----------------------------61%
Schools, pre-school, after-school------------21%
Economy---------------------------------17%
Housing----------------------------------16%
City Budget--------------------------------8%
Health Care--------------------------------8%
Crime and Public safety----------------------4%
Government Leadership----------------------4%
Streets------------------------------------3%
Cost of Living------------------------------3%
Traffic Congestion--------------------------2%
Muni Taxes--------------------------------2%
Growth and Development--------------------2%
Corruption--------------------------------2%
Environment ------------------------------2%
Parks-------------------------------------1%
Other-------------------------------------9%
Don't know--------------------------------6%
Refuse------------------------------------1%

Public concern about homelessness overwhelmed all other priorities, and cut across all parts of the city and all subgroups analyzed. Questioners reported that this concern was expressed as a desire to see fewer homeless people on the streets, although it was usually accompanied by a desire to help, rather than punish the homeless. The extent to which the city is united in the desire to address a single issue is unusual, but in this case not surprising...