Survey: Floridians worried about jobs, not taxes, and are pessimistic about the future: News. Politics. Media

Floridians are worried, and they’re mostly worried about jobs, according to a survey released today by Leadership Florida.

Some 45 percent of those surveyed say the state is worse off than it was five years ago (7 percent more than last year) and 65 percent expect things to stay the same or get worse, according to the breakdown released by the group (available below).

More than half of Floridian’s rate jobs and the economy as the biggest issue facing the state this year, with every other concern —from taxes and crime to education and the environment — rating in the single digits.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed also believe that state government spends money “in a relatively wasteful manner,” but most also say that current levels of taxation are neither too high nor too low. A plurality — just under half — finds current levels of both state and local taxation “about right.”

As for what’s affecting Floridians’ personal finances, jobs have eclipsed personal debt, property taxes, and health care costs, Floridians’ biggest worries going into 2008, when unemployment was still below 5 percent. This year, the biggest concerns are “not having a job” (which was added to the survey in 2010) and the overall “poor economy” (added this year).

“Because Governor Rick Scott has identified job creation as his top priority and Floridians say it is their top priority as well, these survey results would seem to indicate an opportunity for him,” said John Streitmatter, Chair of Leadership Florida. “At the same time, Floridians have told us they are also very impatient with all levels of government right now, which means that today’s challenge could very quickly turn into tomorrow’s disappointment for the governor and the people.”

Leadership Florida 2011 Survey Comparison