CAC membership is primarily moderate to conservative. CAC membership is also very well educated, with over 60% with some form of college or post-graduate education.

This year we received 652 responses.

The aim this year was to gauge CAC members’ feeling toward key decisions that have been made by Governor Mitch Daniels with respect to:

• The sale/lease of the Indiana Toll Road;
• Proliferation of Confined Animal Feeding Operations;
• Expanding Production of Ethanol from Corn;
• Water Permits issued to BP and the steel industry that woulc increase pollution in Lake Michigan;
• Adding coal to the definition of renewable energy in Indiana; and
• Support for virtual automatic rate increases for ratepayers in the form of utility tracking mechanisms.

We asked about regulatory policy in terms of periodic rate increases utilities are vying for or already have with respect to transmission and distribution system upgrades and construction work in progress (CWIP – a pay-as-you-go scheme that makes ratepayers the bank/collateral for power plant construction). The Governor has indicated support for these mechanisms. His Utility Regulatory Commission granted CWIP for the construction of the Edwardsport plant, which he desperately wants built and publicly supported during the IURC proceedings about the decision to build the plant; the Governor has appointed former utility employees to chair the IURC and to run the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor; and, the Governor’s energy plan is indiscernible from what CAC perceives to be the utility business plan.

With respect to renewable energy policy, it should be noted that the Governor recently announced the construction of a facility to manufacture gear-boxes for wind turbines that will be located in the Muncie area. This is a very positive development for the state. The question remains if Indiana will be able to reach the full potential of its renewable component manufacturing (considered to be 2nd in the country) without policies that support a strong and vibrant renewable market in the state. Trends across the country indicate not.

INDIANA TOLL ROAD LEASE/SALE

• 71% respondents disapproved or strongly disapproved of the Governor leasing/selling the Toll Road to a private investment firm.
• 14% strongly approved or approved.
• The rest were neutral or didn’t know.

CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS

• 78% of respondents disapproved or strongly disapproved of expanding the number of CAFOs in Indiana.
• 7% approved or strongly approved.
• The others were in the neutral or don’t know category.

ETHANOL FROM CORN

• 58% of respondents disapprove or strongly disapprove expanding the production of corn-based ethanol.
• 22% approve or strongly approve of expanding ethanol production from corn.
• The rest were in the neutral and don’t know categories.

CLEAN WATER ACT PERMITS FOR BP AND STEEL COMPANIES

• 90% of respondents disapproved or strongly disapproved of the water permits issued to BP and various steel companies that would allow for increased pollution into Lake Michigan.
• 4% approved or strongly approved.
• The rest were in the neutral and don’t know categories.

RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY

• 65% of respondents disapprove or strongly disapprove adding coal (a non-renewable resource) to the definition of renewable energy in Indiana.

COST RECOVERY FOR ELECTRIC UTILITIES

Trackers:

• 63% disapprove or strongly disapprove of tracking (rate adjustment) mechanisms for transmission and distribution facilities (allowing utilities to raise rates when costs go up in certain areas without having to lower rates when costs go down in other areas - basically allowing them to deregulate bit by bit).
• 6% approve of such a measure.
• 17% don’t know;
• 10% were neutral.

Construction Work in Progress

• 59% disapprove or strongly disapprove of CWIP (construction work in progress - allowing utilities to charge ratepayers for a power plant before it is operational).
• 8% approve or strongly approve.
• 11% were neutral.
• 18% don’t know.

Members returned over 500 surveys to our office in 2007. The survey posed questions regarding confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), energy efficiency programs, a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) for the state, universal health care, the overall approach our energy policy should take, and global warming. Each question requested a range of answers from 1 being very supportive to 5 being very opposed. Not all respondents answered all of the questions. As a result, percentages below are based on those who answered the questions.

The majority of CAC members consider themselves moderate to conservative.

CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFOS)

Most CAC members favor a moratorium on CAFO construction and believe that local control is the way to go. A significant majority supports more stringent environmental and public standards for these facilities.

• 69% of respondents support a moratorium on CAFO construction, with 42% very supportive. Only 6% of respondents were opposed.
• 57% of respondents support basing the location of CAFOs on their impact on property values. Only 7% were opposed.
• 49% supported local control over the siting of CAFOs while only 14% opposed the idea.
• 73% were somewhat to very supportive of more stringent environmental and public health requirements for CAFOS, with 41% very supportive. 60% opposed relaxing such requirements.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
CAC members are in favor of energy efficiency programs and would support a small increase (2.3%) in electric and gas rates to fund them. The majority opposes utilities determining how much they spend on energy efficiency programs.

• 62% of respondents support an increase of 2.3% in their electric and gas rates to fund energy efficiency programs. Only 17% oppose such an idea.
• 58% oppose utility companies dictating how much they spend on efficiency programs, with only 10% favoring utility control.

RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

CAC members are very keen in seeing the passage of Renewable Electricity legislation in Indiana and most do not want utilities dictating their level of investment.

• 55% of respondents opposed allowing utility companies to dictate the level of renewable energy investment they make. Only a small percentage (11%) supported the concept.
• The vast majority (75%) support passage of Renewable Electricity Standard.

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE

It’s clear that CAC members are not happy with the current health care system. The most supported option was extending Medicare to everyone. However, mandates on the individual and medical savings accounts were close seconds.

• 56% support extending Medicare to everyone. Only 18% oppose.
• However, there is also support (just over 50%) for requiring individuals to purchase insurance (as long as low-income families are subsidized) and for expansion of availability of medical savings accounts. 61% oppose the current system.

ENERGY POLICY
The majority of respondents favor energy efficiency and renewable energy over coal-fired power plants.

• 46% of respondents believe we can avoid building coal plants if we emphasize energy efficiency and renewable energy technology.
• 49% say that we should capture our energy efficiency and renewable energy potential before considering coal-fired power plants.
• Only 2% believe that we have to build coal-fired power plants to meet demand.

GLOBAL WARMING

The vast majority of CAC members believe that we must act on global warming now.

• 85% of respondents believe we must act now to address global warming.
• Only 10% suggested we need more scientific evidence.

649 completed member surveys were returned to our office. CAC wishes to thank its membership for the excellent response to our membership survey. Below are the results.

Issue Concerns

1. Utility Issues

   • Affordable Heating Bills

     • 83% of respondents report being very concerned about affordable heating bills.
     • 13.9% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about affordable heating bills.
     • 2.9% of respondents report not being concerned about affordable heating bills.
     • 0.4% of respondents did not respond to this question.

   • Affordable Lighting Bills

     • 65.9% of respondents report being very concerned about affordable lighting bills.
     • 29.1% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about affordable lighting bills.
     • 4.6% of respondents report not being concerned about affordable lighting bills.
     • 0.3% of respondents did not respond to this question.

   • Affordable Telephone Bills

     • 60.9% of respondents report being very concerned about affordable telephone bills.
     • 31.1% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about affordable telephone bills.
     • 7.1% of respondents report not being concerned about affordable telephone bills.
     • 0.4% of respondents did not respond to this question.

   • Air Quality

     • 76% of respondents report being very concerned about air quality.
     • 19.1% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about air quality.
     • 3.7% of respondents report not being concerned about air quality.
     • 1% of respondents did not respond to this question.

   • Reliable Utility Service

     • 67.3% of respondents report being very concerned about reliable utility service.
     • 25.2% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about reliable utility service.
     • 6.8% of respondents report not being concerned about reliable utility service.
     • 1% of respondents did not respond to this question.

   • Access to Broadband

     • 25.8% of respondents report being very concerned about access to broadband.
     • 39.5% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about access to broadband.
     • 31.0% of respondents report not being concerned about access to broadband.
     • 3.5% of respondents did not respond to this question.

2. Other Issues

   • Property Taxes

     • 74% of respondents report being very concerned about property taxes.
     • 19.1% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about property taxes.
     • 3.7% of respondents report not being concerned about property taxes.
     • 1% of respondents did not respond to this question.

   • Media Ownership/Consolidation

     • 44% of respondents report being very concerned about media ownership/consolidation.
     • 41.5% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about media ownership/consolidation.
     • 11% of respondents report not being concerned about media ownership/consolidation.
     • 3.7% of respondents did not respond to this question.

   • Affordable Health Insurance

     • 86.4% of respondents report being very concerned about affordable health insurance.
     • 8.3% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about affordable health insurance.
     • 4.6% of respondents report not being concerned about affordable health insurance.
     • 0.4% of respondents did not answer this question.

   • Jobs/Economic Development

     • 65.4% of respondents report being very concerned about jobs/economic development.
     • 28.1% of respondents report being somewhat concerned about jobs/economic development.
     • 5.2% of respondents report not being concerned about jobs/economic development.
     • 1.1% of respondents did not respond to this question.

Member Experience

1. Utility Bills

   • 20.1% of respondents report that 4% to 8% of their monthly budget goes to utility bills.
   • 32.3% of respondents report that 8% to 15% of their monthly budget goes to utility bills.
   • 21% of respondents report that 15% to 20% of their monthly budget goes to utility bills.
   • 8.6% of respondents report that 20% to 30% of their monthly budget goes to utility bills.
   • 6% of respondents report that over 30% of their monthly budget goes to utility bills.
   • 12% of respondents did not respond to this question.

2. Delaying bill payments in order to pay utility bills

   • 11.6% of respondents reported that they have had to put off paying other bills in order to pay a utility bill.
   • 78% of respondents reported that they have not had to put off paying other bills in order to pay a utility bill.
   • 10% of respondents did not respond to this question.

3. Respiratory Conditions

   • 19.1% of respondents report that they or someone in their family has a respiratory condition.
   • 66.1% of respondents report that neither they nor anybody in their family has a respiratory condition.
   • 14.7% of respondents did not respond to this question.

4. Utility Sponsored Energy Conservation Programs

   • 71.8% of respondents said that they would participate in a utility sponsored program to help them conserve energy.
   • 5.9% of respondents said that they would not participate in a utility sponsored program to help them conserve energy.
   • 6.3% of respondents said that they might participate in a utility sponsored program to help them conserve energy.
   • 11.4% of respondents did not respond to this question.

5. Reliable Electric Service

   • 70.4% of respondents said that their utility provides reliable electric service.
   • 19.8% of respondents said that their utility does not provide reliable electric service.
   • 9.4% of respondents did not respond to this question.

Demographics

1. Gender

   • 41.5% of respondents are male.
   • 54% of respondents are female.
   • 4.5% of respondents did not respond to this question.

2. Voting

   • 85.5% of respondents always vote.
   • 9.7% of respondents sometimes vote.
   • 1.4% of respondents never vote.
   • 3.4% of respondents did not respond to this question.

3. Political Leaning

   • 27.6% of respondents said that they are conservative.
   • 36.6% of respondents said that they are moderate.
   • 15.1% of respondents said that they are liberal.
   • 4.3% of respondents said that they are liberal/moderate.
   • 2.6% of respondents said that they are conservative/moderate.
   • 13.6% of respondents did not respond to this question.

4. Employment Status

   • 46.8% of respondents are retired.
   • 47.4% of respondents are not retired.
   • 5.9% of respondents did not respond to this question.

5. Income

   • 11.1% of respondents earn less than $20,000 per year.
   • 23.3% of respondents earn $20,001 - $40,000 per year.
   • 20.5% of respondents earn $40,001 - $60,000 per year.
   • 11.3% of respondents earn $60,001 - $80,000 per year.
   • 7% of respondents earn $80,001 - $100,000 per year.
   • 6.5% of respondents earn more than $100,000 per year.
   • 20.3% of respondents did not respond to this question.

6. Education

   • 0.8% of respondents did not graduate high school.
   • 23.5% of respondents have a high school diploma or a GED.
   • 3.9% of respondents have a trade school degree.
   • 18.5% of respondents have some college.
   • 20.8% of respondents have a college or a graduate degree.
   • 29.2% of respondents have done post graduate work.
   • 3.4% did not respond to this question.