A new survey of two southern Illinois counties offers local leaders an opportunity to make some changes.
The "Jackson/Williamson Survey" - from the University of Illinois at Springfield Survey Research Office - is a snapshot of how residents in those two counties feel about living, learning, and working in southern Illinois.
As you might expect, the economy weighs heavy on the minds of those polled. Survey Research Office Director Ashley Kirzinger says residents want more opportunity to work here:
"We find that, in terms of economic priorities, specifically attracting new businesses and jobs to the region is something that Jackson and Williamson County residents are concerned about."
The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at SIU Carbondale commissioned the survey, and Simon Institute Polling Expert Charles Leonard says this report serves as a benchmark from which future initiatives can be measured:
"If leadership does institute some of the change that respondents to the poll seem to want, we can see if, in two years, they notice if anything has changed."
Respondents generally were positive about the ability to live, raise a family, and retire in this region. Local leaders were presented with the findings, and say they'll be looking at the results as they plan for the future.
