10200 SW Eastridge St, Suite 120, Portland, OR 97225

phone [503] 222-4179 fax [503] 222-4313

Introduction & Methodology

Riley Research Associates surveyed roughly 300 City of Portland voters regarding their opinions on Sewer and Water rates. The scientific telephone poll is representative of Portland’s likely voting public, and includesa random sample of those who have voted in at least two of the past four major elections. The highest proportion of respondents (46 percent) had voted in all four of the past four major elections.

The sample is accurate to within +/-5.7 percent at a 95 percent level of confidence. Interviews took place from March 11th through 18th, 2013. The sample demographics are comparable to Portland’s voting population, including relative proportions for political party, gender, and age.

This Water Users Survey is comparable to a similar study conducted in March 2011. The 2011 results are presented along with the 2013 findings. Responses shown are percentages; not all responses add to 100%, due to rounding.

Executive Overview

A large majority of voters believedPortland’s water rates are too high (71 percent), 20 percent feel they are about right,and just 1 percent felt they are too low. While some voters were unsure (8 percent), those who were unsure were most likely to be renters rather than home owners.

Those most likely to feel the water and sewer rates are too high include:
Males
Voters ages 45-64
Home owners

The proportion of likely voters who feel water and sewer rates are “too high” has increased by 6 percent since 2011.

Portland Water Rates / 2013 / 2011
Rates are high / 71% / 65%
Extremely high / 40 / 33
Somewhat high / 31 / 32
Rates are about right / 20% / 22%
About right / 20 / 22
Rates are low / 1% / 2%
Somewhat low / 1 / 1
Extremely low / - / 1
Unsure / 8% / 12%
Not sure / Don’t know / 8 / 12

Executive Overview (Continued)

Voters were told of the recent rate increases for Portland water and sewer customers (133 percent and 147percent respectively) since 2000, and asked if they felt rates were too high, too low, or about right. The vast majority of likely voters believed Portland’s water rates are too high (75 percent), while 15 percent felt they are about right, just 5 percent felt they are too low, and 5 percent of customers were unsure.

Portland Water Rates / 2013
Rates are high / 75%
Way too high / 50
Somewhat high / 25
Rates are about right / 15%
About right / 15
Rates are low / 5%
Somewhat low / 1
Way too low / 4
Unsure / 5%
Not sure / Don’t know / 5

Voters were asked if they supported or opposedthe scheduled water rate increase of 66 percent and the scheduled sewer rate increase of 28 percent, over the next five years. About three-quarters of Portland voters opposed these increases (77 percent), either strongly (65 percent) or somewhat (12 percent). Only 8 percent of Portlanders supported the proposed increases, and 15 percent were unsure.

Opposition levels are comparable to the slightly higher increasesproposed in 2011.

Proposed Rate Increases / 2013
66% water increase 28% sewer increase / 2011
85% water increase
Support / 8% / 11%
Support strongly / 2 / 4
Support somewhat / 6 / 7
Oppose / 77% / 77%
Oppose somewhat / 12 / 18
Oppose strongly / 65 / 59
Unsure / 15% / 12%
Not sure / Don’t know / 15 / 12

Executive Overview (Continued)

Portland voters were told an independent auditor had found that City Hall has spent restricted ratepayer funds on projects unrelated to water or sewer systems, and asked if they supported or opposed City Hall keeping the misappropriated funds, rather than returning them to ratepayers.

A majority of voters opposed City Hall keeping these funds (71 percent), either strongly (62 percent) or somewhat (9 percent). With 13 percent in support of the City keeping the funds,16 percent wereunsure.

Misappropriated Funds / 2013
Support / 13%
Support strongly / 5
Support somewhat / 8
Oppose / 71%
Oppose somewhat / 9
Oppose strongly / 62
Unsure / 16%
Not sure / Don’t know / 16

Portland voters were asked their level of support for a proposed ballot measure that would remove control of water and sewer utilities from Portland City Hall, and establish a Peoples’ Utility District (PUD) to oversee these services.

A majority of voters supported the proposed formation of a Peoples’ Utility District (58 percent), either strongly (37 percent) or somewhat (22 percent);with 14 percent opposing the PUDand 27 percent unsure.

Homeowners are about twice as likely as renters to support the formation of a PUD.

Overall support for the PUD has remained unchanged since the 2011 poll, though the proportion of those strongly supporting a PUD has increased.

Peoples’ Utility District / 2013 / 2011[1]
Support / 58% / 57%
Support strongly / 37 / 27
Support somewhat / 22 / 30
Oppose / 14% / 16%
Oppose somewhat / 5 / 8
Oppose strongly / 9 / 8
Unsure / 27% / 27%
Not sure / Don’t know / 27 / 27

Portland Water Users Coalition

Likely Portland Voter Survey

Results

Q1. As you may know, the Portland Water Bureau provides water for the people in the region, and the city bills residents for water, as well as for sewer and storm water services.

Which of the following best represents your feelings about the utility rates charged by the City of Portland? (Read Options)

POLITICALVOTINGOWN OR

GENDERAGEAFFILIATIONPROPENSITYRENT HOME

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

FE18-35-45-55-ALL

TotalMALEMALE3444546465+DEMREPOTHR2/43/44/4OWNRENT

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Total Participants29616812828625578731905155867313724744

57%43%9%21%19%26%25%64%17%19%29%25%46%83%15%

Rates are high71%68%75%57%68%78%78%67%69%80%71%77%70%69%75%55%

Rates are somewhat high31352643344026233420313622333227

Rates are extremely high40334914343853443561404148364327

Rates are about right20%20%20%32%19%16%18%21%22%12%20%15%19%23%19%20%

Rates are about right20202032191618212212201519231920

Rates are low1%1%2%7%---1%2%--1%1%1%1%2%

Rates are somewhat low1127---12--11112

Unsure8%11%4%4%13%5%4%11%7%8%9%7%10%7%5%23%

Don't know / unfamiliar811441354117897107523

Chi Square11.6234.2313.547.0219.09

.020.005.095.534.001

Q2. Portland water rates have increased 133% since the year 2000, making our water rates more expensive than water in Phoenix, Arizona; and since 2000, sewer rates in Portland have increased by 147%.

Based on this information, do you believe Portland's water and sewer rates are too high, too low, or about right?(Way or somewhat?)

POLITICALVOTINGOWN OR

GENDERAGEAFFILIATIONPROPENSITYRENT HOME

FE18-35-45-55-ALL

TotalMALEMALE3444546465+DEMREPOTHR2/43/44/4OWNRENT

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Total Participants29616812828625578731905155867313724744

57%43%9%21%19%26%25%64%17%19%29%25%46%83%15%

Too high75%77%73%64%71%78%77%79%70%90%80%80%74%73%77%68%

Way too high50515029425855554369605358455241

Somewhat too high25272336292022252722202716282527

About right15%11%19%25%16%20%8%12%18%2%13%10%18%15%14%18%

About right151119251620812182131018151418

Too low5%6%4%4%6%2%8%4%6%6%2%6%4%5%6%2%

Somewhat too low11--3---1-21-11-

Way too low4544328456-54452

Unsure5%5%5%7%6%-8%4%6%2%5%3%4%7%4%11%

Unsure / undecided55576-84625347411

Chi Square4.9828.5121.178.327.09

.419.098.020.598.214

Q3. Going forward, the City is forecasting an additional 66% rate increase for water over the next five years, plus an additional 28% rise in sewer rates.

Do you support or oppose these additional increases in water and sewer rates? (Somewhat or strongly)

POLITICALVOTINGOWN OR

GENDERAGEAFFILIATIONPROPENSITYRENT HOME

FE18-35-45-55-ALL

TotalMALEMALE3444546465+DEMREPOTHR2/43/44/4OWNRENT

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Total Participants29616812828625578731905155867313724744

57%43%9%21%19%26%25%64%17%19%29%25%46%83%15%

Support8%7%9%14%10%7%6%7%9%4%9%9%8%7%8%7%

Support strongly2144-4311252312-

Support somewhat675111044582475657

Oppose77%77%77%79%66%75%83%81%73%90%78%80%74%77%77%82%

Oppose somewhat12121325151361114109133171216

Oppose strongly65656454526277705980696771606566

Unsure15%15%14%7%24%18%10%12%18%6%13%10%18%16%15%11%

Unsure / depends151514724181012186131018161511

Chi Square4.2123.3115.1011.132.17

.378.106.057.195.705

Q4. Portland's independent auditor found that City Hall has spent restricted ratepayer funds on projects that have nothing to do with water or sewer service, in violation of the city charter.

A ratepayer lawsuit was initiated to hold the City accountable, and recently, the City Council returned $1.6 million in misappropriated funds. The Water Bureau is planning to keep that money instead of returning it to ratepayers.

Do you support or oppose the Water Bureau keeping the refunded money? (Strongly or somewhat)

POLITICALVOTINGOWN OR

GENDERAGEAFFILIATIONPROPENSITYRENT HOME

FE18-35-45-55-ALL

TotalMALEMALE3444546465+DEMREPOTHR2/43/44/4OWNRENT ————— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ———— ————

Total Participants29616812828625578731905155867313724744

57%43%9%21%19%26%25%64%17%19%29%25%46%83%15%

Support13%12%15%18%15%15%10%12%15%6%15%9%8%18%13%16%

Support strongly5564655564553765

Support somewhat8791489579295511711

Oppose71%71%71%75%66%73%74%70%67%80%78%78%73%66%70%82%

Oppose somewhat97131111710710697119911

Oppose strongly62655964556564635775697162576270

Unsure16%17%14%7%19%13%15%18%18%14%7%13%19%15%17%2%

Unsure / depends15161371813131817147131913172

Refused112-2-3-2----21-

Chi Square5.0910.5510.6212.637.56

.405.957.388.245.182

Q5. Ratepayer advocacy groups are considering a ballot initiative which would remove control of the water and sewer utilities from Portland City Hall, and instead establish an independent Peoples' Utility District (PUD) with an elected board of directors.

If the PUD option was on the ballot, would you vote to support or oppose converting Portland's water and sewer utilities into an independent Peoples' Utility District? (Strongly or somewhat)

POLITICALVOTINGOWN OR

GENDERAGEAFFILIATIONPROPENSITYRENT HOME

FE18-35-45-55-ALL

TotalMALEMALE3444546465+DEMREPOTHR2/43/44/4OWNRENT

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Total Participants29616812828625578731905155867313724744

57%43%9%21%19%26%25%64%17%19%29%25%46%83%15%

Support58%57%61%61%66%62%53%55%53%67%69%69%62%50%58%66%

Support strongly37363832374437333247444244303739

Support somewhat22202329291815222120252718202127

Oppose14%13%16%21%13%15%15%11%16%10%11%13%18%13%13%20%

Oppose somewhat55614358154938549

Oppose strongly989710981012629108911

Unsure27%30%23%18%21%24%32%34%31%24%20%19%21%36%29%14%

Unsure / depends2630221419243134292220172135299

Refused11242-1-12-1-1-5

Chi Square3.1421.5113.7515.2819.97

.678.368.185.122.001

1Portland Water Users Coalition

Likely Portland Voter Survey

[1] In 2011, the question did not specify a ballot measure to initiate the change to a PUD.