The Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) released The Arizona We Want: The Decade Ahead report with critical data and valuable insights from the second decennial 2020 Gallup Arizona Survey on April 21. The survey reveals Arizonans agree on seven shared public values, defined as the major issues on which at least 70 percent of Arizonans agree, and identifies 42 specific actions Arizonans agree on to drive the state forward.
Sybil Francis, Ph.D., President & CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona said, “This comprehensive, statewide survey of Arizonans across our vast geography and great diversity tells us that Arizonans agree on much more than we disagree, and we want the same things – including a strong education system, quality affordable healthcare, good paying jobs, sustainable practices that protect our quality of life, equity for all people and leaders who listen and lead. This level of agreement is remarkable, especially in light of the national narrative around division and polarization.”
CFA partnered with Gallup, one of the world’s leading analytics firms, to conduct the 2020 Gallup Arizona Survey to build and expand upon the first survey commissioned by CFA in 2009. The new survey was designed to take a deep dive into issues that matter most to Arizonans and examine areas not addressed in the previous survey, including the topics of immigration, race relations, environmental sustainability and criminal justice reform.
“Arizona is leading by example,” said Joe Daly, Senior Partner at Gallup. “This is currently the only state-level survey report in the U.S. that shares a collective pulse of what is going on. It identifies the most critical issues so that leaders and organizations can make data-driven decisions and take action at state and local levels to help drive the changes Arizonans want to see.”
The key findings from The Arizona We Want: The Decade Ahead report identified seven shared public values where 70 percent or more of Arizonans across the vast expanse of the state, in cities, towns and rural communities, across age, race and ethnicity, education, and political views overwhelmingly agree on the issues that matter most.
Shared Public Values
- A highly educated and skilled population.
- Affordable healthcare that covers pre-existing conditions and provides accessible mental health services.
- Good-paying jobs and the education and training needed for all Arizonans to fully participate in a vibrant economy.
- Sustainable practices that protect our air, land, and water and support quality of life for all.
- Civic engagement that solves problems and democracy that works for all.
- Fair, just, and equal treatment of all people.
- Comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship and support for DREAMers
Actions to Drive Arizona Forward
Arizonans want leadership at all levels to take action to help make the shared public values a reality. The survey found agreement on 42 specific actions to drive to create the change Arizonans want. For example:
- 79 percent want action to close gaps in educational outcomes for Arizona students including Arizona’s most vulnerable: children who are low-income, have disabilities, and/or are English language learners.
- 82 percent support increasing the number of Arizona high school graduates who enroll in universities, community colleges or technical/trade schools.
- 75 percent support reducing the financial barriers of attending college.
- 85 percent want action to make mental health services available and affordable for all Arizonans who need them.
- 85 percent support putting regulations in place to protect rural water supplies.
- 74 percent support making the transition to clean energy.
- 77 percent want criminal justice reform including a greater focus on treating substance abuse and. mental health issues and providing reentry assistance.
- 76 percent want to make civics education a priority in schools.
- 77 percent support automatic voter registration when getting applying for a state ID/driver’s license for those who qualify.
- 86 percent support immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship including for DREAMers.
“It’s important to know where we agree because that is the foundation for action. We see the findings as helping to build public will around making the changes Arizonans want for Arizona’s future,” said Francis. “This is especially valuable because the report findings also demonstrate where there are opportunities to ensure more Arizonans have a place in Arizona’s success and spotlight challenges where disparities exist. The data prompt us to take a deeper look into the underlying conditions that create inequities across the board.”
CFA will work across the state to share the information from the report, frame community conversations, deepen its own work in education, workforce and civic engagement, and empower leaders to take action that aligns with what Arizonans want.
“There is a role for each of us to play in achieving the Arizona we want,” said Francis. “No one person, organization, leader, or agency is responsible for moving our state forward. That job rests with all of us, coming together to create a stronger and brighter future for our state.”
For more information about the Gallup Arizona Project, to download The Arizona We Want: The Decade Ahead report, and to take the 2020 Gallup Arizona Survey as an individual or group, and to request a presentation, go to www.arizonafuture.org/2020Gallup.
The Center for the Future of Arizona brings Arizonans together to build a stronger and brighter future for our state. The Arizona We Want is a shared vision of success around what matter most to Arizonans that expresses their highest aspirations and hopes for the future. Eight Arizona Progress Meters reflect the values and priorities of Arizonans while providing data to help our state achieve success in the areas most important to its communities.
