More have positive outlook
for business Thinking about your business ten years down
the road, are you excited about where you think
your business will be, are you encouraged, uncertain,
concerned or depressed?
29%
Encouraged
21%
Concerned
18%
Excited
17%
Uncertain
4%
Depressed
11%
Undecided/don't know
Most
see gas prices having impact on business
How much of an impact has the price of gasoline had
on your business … ?
21%
A
major impact
30%
A
significant but not major impact
35%
Only
a minor impact
13%
No
real impact at all
1%
Undecided/don't
know
Gas prices leading element seen as having impact on
business Would you say that any
of the following extraneous things or circumstances
could have an impact on your business, either positive
or negative?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
67%
75%
Gas
prices
41%
50%
The state budget crisis
39%
51%
Healthcare
costs
36%
42%
Interest rates
30%
43%
The
federal budget deficit
26%
34%
Workforce
shortages
25%
42%
The
war in Iraq
--%
--%
All
of the above
--%
--%
None
--%
--%
Undecided/don't
know
More dissatisfied with local economy
Overall, how satisfied are you with the condition
of the economy as it affects your business …
?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
6%
8%
very satisfied
43%
31%
somewhat satisfied
49%
39%
Total SATISFIED
29%
37%
somewhat dissatisfied
17%
21%
very dissatisfied
46%
46%
Total DISSATISFIED
5%
3%
Undecided/don't
know
Most optimistic in six-month
business outlook Over the next six
months, would you say that your business outlook
is good or bad?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
21%
20%
very good
47%
33%
somewhat good
68%
53%
Total GOOD
9%
10%
Some ways good/bad
16%
25%
somewhat bad
3%
7%
very bad
19%
32%
Total BAD
4%
5%
Undecided/don't
know
Half see 6-month bottom line
outlook maintaining Over the next six months, do you expect your
bottom line to improve with profits growing over expenses
… worsen with costs taking a larger share of profits
[or] pretty much remain the same?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
8%
6%
improve a lot
15%
11%
improve somewhat
23%
17%
Total IMPROVE
5%
4%
Costs will exceed profits
50%
54%
Costs will remain the same
17%
17%
worsen somewhat
3%
4%
worsen a lot
20%
21%
Total WORSEN
5%
4%
Undecided/don't
know
Most still plan to maintain current number of employees Over the next six months, do you plan to hire more employees, maintain the number of employees you have, or do you expect that you might have to lay off some of your employees?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
20%
16%
Plans to hire more employees
72%
75%
Will maintain number of employees
4%
6%
May have to lay off employees
2%
3%
Will lay off employees (volunteered)
2%
--%
Undecided/don't
know
Fewer planning pay increases for employees This year, do you
plan to increase wages for your employees?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
43%
30%
Yes
44%
63%
No
1%
--%
Will seek a decrease/wage concessions (volunteered)
12%
7%
Undecided/don't
know
More say employees' benefits will stay the same In the next six months, do you anticipate that the benefit package for your employees will stay the same or change?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
85%
78%
Benefits will stay the same
11%
15%
Benefits will change
4%
7%
Undecided/don't
know
More expect no increase in employees’ health
care costs, fewer will absorb costs Specifically, based on any expected increased
cost for health care for your business, do you expect
to absorb those costs, increase employee premiums
or decrease healthcare benefits?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
31%
24%
Absorb the costs
16%
17%
Increase employee premiums
6%
9%
Decrease healthcare benefits
4%
3%
Combination of increased premiums and decreased benefits (volunteered)
2%
1%
Combination of all options (volunteered)
14%
22%
No increase in costs (volunteered)
--%
--%
No insurance
27%
24%
Undecided/don't
know
Little change in plans for new office equipment expenditures Do you plan to spend money in the next six months by either purchasing or leasing any office equipment?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
24%
23%
Yes
74%
75%
No
2%
23%
Undecided/don't
know
Little change in plans for
new advertising expenditures Do you plan to purchase advertising in the next six months?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
47%
46%
Yes
50%
50%
No
3%
4%
Undecided/don't
know
Little change in plans to add to current number
of locations Do you plan to expand
your business by adding one or more new locations
in the next six months, do you expect to consolidate
your business by closing one or more locations,
or will you be keeping the same number of locations?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
8%
7%
Will add location
1%
4%
Will consolidate
90%
85%
Will keep the same number of locations
1%
4%
Undecided/don't
know
Majority report no plans
for product/service expansion Do you plan to expand
your business with a new product line or a new service
in the next six months?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
14%
8%
Yes, a new product line
13%
7%
Yes, a new service
--%
7%
Both
69%
73%
No, will not expand either
4%
5%
Undecided/don't
know
Little change in numbers
planning education/training expenditures Do you plan to spend
any funds on employee education and training over
the next six months? How much do you expect to spend?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
45%
46%
Yes, will spend $________ Mean:
Apr
'05
Oct '05
$4,266.39
$2,734.02
49%
50%
No, will not spend anything
6%
4%
Undecided/don't
know
Decrease in business travel
plans Do you plan to travel
or have any of your employees travel for business
purposes in the next six months?
Apr
'05
Oct '05
36%
16%
Yes, respondent
9%
9%
Yes, employees
--%
17%
Both
45%
56%
No,
don't plan to travel
10%
2%
Undecided/don't
know
Thinking about the race for Mayor in the City
of Lansing, based on what you know or have heard or
read about the election, who do you think will win
the in the November 8th general election – Tony
Benavides or Virg Bernero?
11%
Tony
Benavides
50%
Virg
Benero
39%
Undecided/don't
know
Who do you want to win the election for Mayor of
Lansing – Tony Benavides or Virg Bernero?
18%
Tony
Benavides
26%
Virg
Benero
56%
Undecided/don't
know
What do you think should be the Number One, top priority
of the next mayor of Lansing?
