Support for the proposed Downtown I-10 Deck Plaza is wavering, according to a new poll.
The new poll from Competitive Edge Research and Communication (CERC) found that nearly half of all El Pasoans, 44%, support the Deck Plaza project, compared to 39% opposed and 17% undecided. The poll surveyed 405 El Paso voters between July 21 and July 25 via phone calls, texts and emails.
While the poll may be a win for advocates of the 6.5-acre, $207 million project, the survey found that opinions begin to shift once the issue of funding comes into play — 46% of respondents said the project is too expensive and should not use taxpayer dollars, while 19% said the project is worth pursuing regardless of how funding is achieved and 27% said the project has merit
if private funding sources carry most of the weight.
"The conditional group is the story in this poll, and that condition boils down to who pays," CERC President John Nienstedt said in a news release. "That 27 percent does not necessarily oppose the project; they oppose paying for it out of the city budget. Whether that bloc ends up supporting or opposing the Deck Plaza depends on what the final funding package looks like and how well it is understood."
The poll found that the largest collection of supporters, 53%, is concentrated on the East Side and in the Lower Valley.
The poll found that, along with who will pay for the project, expected use is the strongest indicator of support. Nearly 30% of respondents said they would likely visit the park monthly, with more than 8 in 10 in that group supporting the project. Conversely, 72% said they would likely never visit the Deck Plaza and oppose building it.
Awareness of the project remains a stumbling block, with 36% of respondents reporting they had never heard of it. Interestingly, those who reported knowing a lot about the project are largely against it.
"El Paso has not finished this conversation," Nienstedt said. "A third of the city hasn’t even started it. Opinion this soft — on a project this large — is bound to move. The open question is which direction, and that will depend on what voters hear next about funding."
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: New El Paso Deck Plaza poll highlights funding as key hurdle
