“It the economy, stupid.”

Bill Clinton’s political strategist James Carville coined the phrase that popped in my head as I listened to Pensacola Young Professionals share the findings in its annual Quality of Life survey.

Like last year, and the year before, and the year before that, all the way back to the first survey in 2008, the economy and jobs remained the preeminent issue facing both Escambia County and the City of Pensacola.

Coming in second for the second year in a row, was crime and drugs, the issue that has since 2008 flip-flopped with education, which this year came in third.

Beautiful beaches, a revived downtown, a first-class baseball stadium and a new form of government are positive indicators to show we have been moving the right direction (so the survey says).

But those positive indicators don’t mean squat to folks who want and need good jobs and a robust economy to improve their “quality of life.”

In front of a packed room at the Pensacola Bay Center during the Greater Pensacola Chamber’s monthly Gopher Club breakfast last week, PYP laid out a year’s worth of data and measurements of our community.

Rachael Gillette, PYP’s executive director, said they are committed to making a difference and getting things done.

“What can you do personally or as a business owner to make Pensacola better?” Gillette asked the room full of business and civic leaders and professionals at the breakfast.

Since 2008, PYP since has used the survey to rate the Pensacola area. This year the survey, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, sought opinions from 800 registered voters on a number of key issues.

To maintain impartiality, respondents were picked randomly from state voter registration files. The sample reflects the demographic profile of county voters.

Based on the survey results, the majority of voters in the city (36 percent) and the county (34 percent) said the economy is the proverbial millstone around our necks.

As the survey revealed, attracting better-paying jobs and growing the economy tops the list. Until we can solve that conundrum, we will continue to lag behind neighboring communities and never make the progress to fulfill our promise.

Defining ‘quality of life’

Before delving into the nuances and numbers, let’s define “quality of life.”

It is a relative term and defining it is no easy task. What makes a good quality of life has occupied philosophers since Plato and Aristotle, and countless definitions have been proposed.

Nevertheless, there are some elements on which most scholars agree.

First of all, quality of life is used to evaluate the overall well-being of people and communities. It shouldn’t be confused with the concept of “standard of living” or income per capita.

While most studies on the quality of life take into account indicators of economic success such as income per capita, wealth and employment, they also go beyond those measures to include such things such as the environment, education, leisure time, infrastructure and public safety.

The best description is the amount of satisfaction we have with our lives, taking into consideration both material and non-material wealth. Most people will get the most satisfaction when they have both material and non-material wealth. It should be balanced. Having satisfaction with both is part of a high quality of life.

The PYP survey found reasonably high satisfaction with quality of life in Escambia County/Pensacola, with high marks going to the mayor and the superintendent of schools.

If you’re older, retired and enjoy the beauty of nature and beaches, Pensacola is the place to be (69 percent).

Not so for the younger crowd, recent college graduates or single professionals looking for a exciting things to see and do (7 percent).

Down to the numbers

The survey asked, “Is the City of Pensacola (and Escambia County) headed in the right direction?  Among city voters 74 percent (up 3 points from 2013) said yes. Sixty-three percent (2 point increase from 2013) said the county was heading the right way.

It seems people are more pleased about their community today than in past years.

In 2008, under 30 percent of voters felt the city was heading in the right direction. Fewer than 25 percent said the county was on the right track. The numbers increased each year, reaching a peak of 89 percent (city) and 76 percent (county) in 2012.

The excitement for the city’s direction could well be attributed to the downtown renaissance, the new baseball stadium and the revised city charter.

As momentum has slowed, so has the enthusiasm with progress, which may explain the ratings drop in confidence in vision and leadership of almost 30 percent since 2012.

A few highlights of results include:

Quality of Life: The overall rating for “excellent” or “good” dropped to 52 percent in 2014 from 59 percent in 2013.

Education: The lack of adequate academic standards (34 percent) topped the list of No. 1 and No. 2 problems. Voters identified the school system’s other biggest issues: lack of funding, poor teachers and lack of discipline.

Waterfront development: The majority (84 percent) said the city’s waterfront development is important to the future of Pensacola.

County Commission and City Council: This was the first year the survey rated these groups. Commissioners received a 32 percent positive rating; 42 percent “fair”; and 21 percent “poor.” The council received 28 percent positive rating; 38 percent “fair” and 6 percent “poor.”

School superintendent and School Board: The majority (56 percent) felt Superintendent Malcolm Thomas is doing a good job. Voters gave rated the School board at 40 percent (good) and 6 percent (excellent).

Pensacola Mayor: In his fourth job performance rating, Mayor Ashton Hayward’s positive rating increased by 2 percent to 55 percent among county voters, and 66 percent, also a 2 percent increase, in the city.

Education questions

The education data was paradoxical.

While the majority of voters gave high marks to the superintendent and the School Board, they didn’t think so highly of the schools that the leaders are in charge of running.

Is there a hidden message in that 34 percent listed lack of funding as the biggest problems facing schools, and 34 percent weren’t even sure if there were any problems at all?

In the 2014 brochure, PYP said it is optimistic about the future of the Pensacola Bay Area.

“We plan to continue to work hard to make a difference and we hope that our area leaders, businesses, and community members will also step up to make positive differences so that our community continue to blossom as a fantastic place to live, work, and play for citizens of all ages.”

No matter how great the optimism, our economy and the need for better jobs jeopardize the positive gains we’ve made in recent years.

Carville’s phrase is just as applicable today as it was in 1992, and as it was when the first survey was released in 2008.

The truth is, it’s always going to be the economy.

That’s because without a strong one, nothing else matters.

There is no waterfront development. There is no downtown revitalization. There is not much hope for growth and development. Other issues are merely distractions.

If we don’t improve economic development and job growth in our community, instead of a better quality of life, many residents will lack quality living.

And what can we blame: The stupid economy, of course.

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