New PARCA Education Research Center opens with statewide survey on school funding and choice – Alabamians say schools are underfunded and split evenly on the CHOOSE Act.
The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama has launched the PARCA Education Research Center, a dedicated center within PARCA that houses the organization’s longstanding education analysis and expands it into a sustained, independent research program on the questions now facing Alabama’s policymakers and school leaders. The Center opens with the release of the 2026 Alabama […]
Alabama Public Opinion Survey
PARCA’s most recent public opinion survey finds, once again, aversion to certain taxes, support for public education, and mistrust in state government. At the same time, the survey finds a lack of consensus on how the state should respond to other critical issues. Among the findings: PARCA’s annual public opinion survey was conducted between October […]
Alabama Public Opinion Survey 2022
With elections for governor and legislature pending in the fall, Alabamians are united in support for public investment in education and healthcare, divided on how to raise money for new investments, and express a preference for local leadership and decision-making. That is according to PARCA’s annual public opinion survey. The poll of over 400 Alabama […]
Alabama Public Opinion Survey 2021
PARCA’s 2021 public opinion survey finds a growing majority of Alabamians support spending more on education but a lack of consensus on how to pay for the increase. Among the findings: Taxes 61% of respondents say upper-income Alabamians pay too little in state taxes. The percent of respondents who believe upper-income earners pay too little […]
Alabama Public Opinion Survey 2020
PARCA’s 2020 Public Opinion Survey, completed before the onset of the COVID-19 in the U.S., hints at the challenges state policymakers will face in responding to the pandemic. The survey finds, once again, aversion to certain taxes, support for public education, and mistrust in state government. At the same time, the survey finds a lack […]
Prisons, education, taxes, trust in government. What do Alabamians think?
See the Full Survey A slight majority of Alabamians oppose building new prisons, but an overwhelming majority support expanding rehabilitation and re-entry programs for people leaving prison, returning nonviolent offenders to the community, and spending more on education. These are among the key findings of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama’s Public Opinion Survey: […]
PARCA Annual Survey Addresses Representation in State Government, Public Education and Payday Loans
PARCA collaborated with Samford University to conduct our annual telephone survey of Alabama citizens between June 4 and July 18, 2018. The survey was directed by Dr. Randolph Horn and was under the field direction of Grace Okoro. The survey addressed topics including the quality of representation in state government, and, in partnership with the […]
Alabama Priorities makes its debut
What issues most concern Alabamians? What options do policy makers have to address these issues? These are the questions behind Alabama Priorities – a new initiative of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. We unveiled the initiative at PARCA’s 2018 Annual Meeting last Friday. The presentation can be viewed here. Step 1: Identify Alabama […]
PARCA compares municipal finances in Alabama, gets mayors’ perspective
How Alabama Cities Finances Compare How Alabama City Finances Compare is the ninth edition of PARCA’s study of Alabama city finances. This report provides basic information on municipal revenues, expenditures, and general fund balances from the most recent year available. The comparisons are in per capita amounts (dollars divided by resident population) so that cities […]
PARCA’s 2017 Public Opinion Survey Results are Here
Today, PARCA released the results of its annual public opinion survey. The poll of over 350 Alabama residents was conducted by Randolph Horn, Samford University, Professor of Political Science and Samford’s Director of Strategic and Applied Analysis. The survey addressed topics including state budget priorities, the quality of representation in state government, and in partnership […]