AZ PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL RETIREMENT SYSTEM
BASELINE
Interview Schedule
Field Dates: January 26-February 10, 2006 N = 1043 Members
Project #: 06103
Thank you for your participation in completing this important survey. Completing the survey should take no longer than ten minutes.
We are conducting an important survey of members of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System. All individual data will be kept strictly confidential and only aggregate data will be reported at the discretion of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System. We appreciate your time today in completing this brief, but important, survey.
1.
Now are or were
you employed in
52% A police officer
19% A firefighter
17% A corrections officer
7% An elected government official
4% A Judge
6% Other (Specify:___________)
* NO ENTRY
2. How many years of credited service do you have with the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), the Corrections Officer Retirement Plan (CORP), or the Elected Officials Retirement Plan (EORP)?
* 0-3 years
1% 4-6 years
3% 6-10 years
8% 10-15 years
11% 15-20 years
49% 20-25 years
27% 25+ years
* NO ENTRY
23% 0-20 YEARS
77%^ 20 YEARS+
3. All things considered, how satisfied are you with the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System benefits? Would you say you are...
24% Completely satisfied, couldn’t be better
54% Very satisfied
16% Somewhat satisfied
2% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
2% Somewhat dissatisfied
1% Very dissatisfied
* Completely dissatisfied, couldn’t be worse
* NO ENTRY
94% TOTAL SATISFIED
4%^ TOTAL DISSATISFIED
4.
Compared to
other states how do you think
And, do you feel STRONGLY that way?
21% STRONGLY BETTER
45% BETTER
7% WORSE
1% STRONGLY WORSE
10% SAME/NO DIFFERENCE
16% NO ENTRY
66% TOTAL BETTER
8% TOTAL WORSE
5. Which of the following sources do you use when looking for information about the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System and its benefits? (SELECT MORE THAN ONE RESPONSE IF APPROPRIATE)
31% The Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System website
19% The human resources department of your current or former employer
8% Labor organizations
40% Mailings/newsletters
9% Friends/Family
47% Calling the staff of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System or the local board
4% OTHER (Specify:_________________________________)
9% NO ENTRY
6. How satisfied are you with the communications from the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System? Are you...
15% Completely satisfied, couldn’t be better
52% Very satisfied
19% Somewhat satisfied
9% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
3% Somewhat dissatisfied
1% Very dissatisfied
* Completely dissatisfied, couldn’t be worse
* NO ENTRY
86% TOTAL SATISFIED
4% TOTAL DISSATISFIED
7. How do you prefer to receive information about the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System?
16% The Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System website
6% The human resources department of your current or former employer
2% Labor organizations
68% Mailings/newsletters
* Friends/Family
5% Calling the staff of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System or the local board
2% OTHER (Specify:_______________________)
* NO ENTRY
Thinking now about the management of the pension fund...
8. Based on what you know and compared to other states, do you think the administrative costs for managing the pension funds are...
5% TOO HIGH
1% TOO LOW
67% JUST ABOUT RIGHT
26% NO ENTRY
Now, thinking about future employees who will enter the retirement system...
9. Would you favor or oppose legislation to change the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan, (such as a deferred compensation/private savings investment account - which is a like a private sector 401K) for future enrollees?
And, would you STRONGLY (favor/oppose) or only SOMEWHAT (favor/oppose) it?
3% STRONGLY FAVOR
12% SOMEWHAT FAVOR
21% SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
50% STRONGLY OPPOSE
14% NO ENTRY
15% TOTAL FAVOR
71% TOTAL OPPOSE
10. Thinking more about the system...Do you think a cut in benefits or changing from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan, (such as a deferred compensation/private savings investment account - which is a like a private sector 401K) would have...
6% A POSITIVE EFFECT
73% A NEGATIVE EFFECT
8% NO EFFECT AT ALL
13% NO ENTRY
...on the ability of state
government and
public safety personnel?
Below are a list of the benefits offered by the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System and for each one please mark how important it is to you. If you are not familiar with the benefit just mark not familiar. If it is important would you say it is VERY important or only SOMEWHAT important to you? Please write the number corresponding to the level of importance you place on each of the following benefits in the space provided.
VERY SMWT NOT NOT DON’T NO
IMPT IMPT IMPT FAMILIAR KNOW ENTRY
11. The Deferred Retirement Option Plan known as DROP
13% 9% 24% 37% 10% 6%
22%
12. Disability benefits
42% 19% 11% 18% 5% 5%
61%
13. The Survivor Pension
75% 9% 3% 8% 3% 3%
84%
14. The Death Benefit
59% 15% 4% 14% 3% 4%
75%^
15. The Termination Refund
10% 15% 21% 37% 11% 7%
24%^
16. Buy back service credit
20% 24% 24% 20% 6% 6%
44%
17. Cost of living adjustment (COLA)
89% 4% * 4% 1% 3%
93%
18. The Health Insurance Premium Subsidy
75% 9% 4% 7% 2% 3%
84%
19. Now thinking about all of the benefits listed please mark which benefits you have already used. (SELECT MORE THAN ONE RESPONSE IF APPROPRIATE)
7% The Deferred Retirement Option Plan known as DROP
2% Disability benefits
3% The Survivor Pension
1% The Termination Refund
9% Buy back service credit
69% Cost of living adjustment (COLA)
54% The Health Insurance Premium Subsidy
3% OTHER (Specify:_________________________________)
16% NONE OF THESE/NO ENTRY
20. And, overall how satisfied are you with the programs and benefits offered by the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System? Would you say you are...
12% Completely satisfied, couldn’t be better
52% Very satisfied
20% Somewhat satisfied
2% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
3% Somewhat dissatisfied
1% Very dissatisfied
* Completely dissatisfied, couldn’t be worse
10% NO ENTRY
84% TOTAL SATISFIED
4% TOTAL DISSATISFIED
Now, a few more questions for statistical purposes only.
21. In what year were you born?
-- 18 - 24
-- 25 - 34
1% 35 - 44
13% 45 - 54
39% 55 - 64
45% 65 AND ABOVE
28% 70+
2% REFUSED
22. And what is the last grade you completed in school?
* SOME GRADE SCHOOL (GRADES 1-8)
2% SOME HIGH SCHOOL (GRADES 9-11)
9% GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL (GRADE 12)
3% TECHNICAL/VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
44% SOME COLLEGE
29% GRADUATED COLLEGE
12%
GRADUATE /
1% NO ENTRY
11% HIGH SCHOOL OR LESS
47% SOME COLLEGE
41% COLLEGE+
23.
And, are you
currently employed in the public safety field in
10% YES
89% NO
1% NO ENTRY
24. What is your main racial or ethnic origin?
86% WHITE
8% HISPANIC, SPANISH OR MEXICAN AMERICAN
1% NATIVE AMERICAN OR AMERICAN INDIAN
1% BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN
* ASIAN
1% OTHER (Specify: _____________________)
2% NO ENTRY
25. Gender
92% MALE
7% FEMALE
1% NO ENTRY