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Overall speaking, are you satisfied with the government's strategy in monetary management?

Date of survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Very satisfied   Quite satisfied   Half-half   Not quite satisfied   Very dissatisfied   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   1.0%   26.8%   29.2%   19.5%   3.3%   20.2%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   0.7%   25.6%   21.2%   17.2%   4.2%   31.0%   100.0%  
  30-31/3/2001 Follow-up survey   1.6%   34.4%   31.2%   18.0%   4.4%   10.4%   100.0%  
  7-8/3/2001 Instant survey   1.7%   43.7%   22.8%   11.6%   2.2%   17.9%   100.0%  
  20/3/2000 Follow-up survey   1.6%   45.1%   24.4%   8.9%   2.2%   15.8%   100.0%  
  8/3/2000 Instant survey   5.3%   54.7%   16.4%   7.4%   1.2%   15.0%   100.0%  
  24/2/1998 Follow-up survey   1.6%   40.8%   24.2%   14.1%   1.4%   17.9%   100.0%  
  18/2/1998 Instant survey   3.4%   38.4%   20.6%   11.6%   1.1%   24.9%   100.0%  

Collapsed data

 Date of survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Satisfied   Half-half   Dissatisfied   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up surveyy   27.7%   29.2%   22.8%   20.2%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   26.4%   21.2%   21.4%   31.0%   100.0%  
  30-31/3/2001 Follow-up surveyy   36.0%   31.2%   22.4%   10.4%   100.0%  
  7-8/3/2001 Instant survey   45.4%   22.8%   13.9%   17.9%   100.0%  
  20/3/2000 Follow-up survey   46.7%   26.4%   11.0%   15.8%   100.0%  
  8/3/2000 Instant survey   59.9%   16.4%   8.7%   15.0%   100.0%  
  24/2/1998 Follow-up survey   42.4%   24.2%   15.5%   17.9%   100.0%  
  18/2/1998 Instant survey   41.8%   20.6%   12.7%   24.9%   100.0%  


In general, are you satisfied with the Budget announced by the Financial Secretary?

Date of survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Sub-sample base   Very satisfied   Quite satisfied   Half-half   Not quite satisfied   Very dissatisfied   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   1019*   2.4%   41.8%   30.8%   16.4%   2.4%   6.2%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   539*   3.4%   43.8%   22.9%   13.8%   3.6%   12.6%   100.0%  
  30-31/3/2001 Follow-up survey   424*   1.9%   37.7%   29.9%   17.3%   4.0%   9.2%   100.0%  
  7-8/3/2001 Instant survey   263*   3.4%   53.6%   24.7%   11.9%   1.0%   5.5%   100.0%  
  20/3/2000 Follow-up survey   615*   3.1%   60.7%   18.1%   4.4%   1.6%   12.1%   100.0%  
  8/3/2000 Instant survey   643*   7.9%   62.4%   11.8%   3.4%   0.6%   13.8%   100.0%  
  18/3/1999 Follow-up survey   511*   2.9%   54.1%   21.0%   10.2%   1.0%   10.8%   100.0%  
  3/3/1999 Instant survey   598*   2.0%   43.8%   27.1%   8.5%   1.5%   17.1%   100.0%  
  24/2/1998 Follow-up survey   522*   2.7%   57.2%   20.1%   8.6%   0.9%   10.4%   100.0%  
  18/2/1998 Instant survey   638*   4.2%   50.5%   19.5%   6.9%   0.5%   18.3%   100.0%  

Collapsed data

 Date of survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Sub-sample base   Satisfied   Half-half   Dissatisfied   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   1019*   44.2%   30.8%   18.9%   6.2%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   539*   47.2%   22.9%   17.4%   12.6%   100.0%  
  30-31/3/2001 Follow-up survey   424*   39.6%   29.9%   21.3%   9.2%   100.0%  
  7-8/3/2001 Instant survey   263*   57.0%   24.7%   12.8%   5.5%   100.0%  
  20/3/2000 Follow-up survey   615*   63.8%   18.1%   5.0%   12.1%   100.0%  
  8/3/2000 Instant survey   643*   70.3%   11.8%   4.0%   13.8%   100.0%  
  18/3/1999 Follow-up survey   511*   57.0%   21.0%   11.2%   10.8%   100.0%  
  3/3/1999 Instant survey   598*   45.8%   27.1%   10.0%   17.1%   100.0%  
  24/2/1998 Follow-up survey   522*   59.9%   20.1%   9.5%   10.4%   100.0%  
  18/2/1998 Instant survey   638*   54.7%   19.5%   7.4%   18.3%   100.0%  

Excluding those who had not heard of the Budget


The Financial Secretary said "While the medium- and long-term outlook is promising, it will take time for our economy to recover. Economic restructuring will continue for some time." Do you agree to his analysis?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Agree   Disagree   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   68.3%   20.4%   11.3%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   70.1%   14.8%   15.1%   100.0%  


The Financial Secretary reported the government had operating deficits for four consecutive years, and his target was to achieve consolidated and operating balances by 2006/07. Do you think the government can achieve this?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Yes   No   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   25.3%   51.3%   23.4%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   30.7%   38.4%   30.9%   100.0%  


The Financial Secretary estimated this year's fiscal reserves to be around $370 billion, roughly equivalent to 19 months of government expenditure. He also said it would be enough for the government to reserve 12 months' expenditure. Do you think this 12 months' expenditure reserve is too much, too little, or just right?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Too much   Too little   Just right   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   4.3%   35.9%   41.4%   18.5%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   4.4%   36.2%   37.0%   22.3%   100.0%  


The Financial Secretary proposed to implement the Boundary Facilities Improvement Tax in 2003/04, at the level of $18. Do you agree to this proposal?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Agree   Disagree   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   61.4%   30.4%   8.2%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   62.6%   26.6%   10.8%   100.0%  


Two tax increase proposals were mentioned in today's Budget, which were to increase the duty rate on wine, and to cut the quantities of duty-free tobacco and alcoholic beverages. Do you think these measures of tax increase are sufficient?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Sufficient   Not sufficient   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   50.4%   39.1%   10.5%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   49.7%   35.5%   14.8%   100.0%  


To "help the community to ride out of the storm", the Financial Secretary made 6 proposed measures in this year's Budget, which were to raise the maximum amount to be waived for each ratable tenement from $2,000 to $5,000, to waive water and sewage charges, to reduce the trade effluent surcharge by 30%, to waive the business registration fee, to extend the duty concession for ultra low sulphur diesel, and to freeze most of the government fees and charges, all for one year. Do you think these measures of concessions are sufficient for helping the community?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Sufficient   Not sufficient   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   64.7%   28.9%   6.4%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   62.8%   25.7%   11.5%   100.0%  


Overall speaking, do you think the tax system in Hong Kong is fair or unfair?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Very fair   Quite fair   Quite unfair   Very unfair   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   7.1%   56.0%   17.4%   7.4%   12.1%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   6.3%   48.7%   20.8%   7.9%   16.3%   100.0%  

Collapsed data

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Fair   Unfair   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   63.1%   24.8%   12.1%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   55.0%   28.7%   16.3%   100.0%  


Then, do you think the distribution of wealth in Hong Kong is reasonable or unreasonable?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Very reasonable   Quite reasonable   Quite unreasonable   Very unreasonable   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   1.7%   24.4%   32.5%   20.2%   21.3%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   1.4%   23.9%   28.5%   23.3%   22.9%   100.0%  

Collapsed data

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Reasonable   Unreasonable   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   26.1%   52.7%   21.3%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   25.3%   51.8%   22.9%   100.0%  


The Financial Secretary mentioned a salary cut of 4.75% for all civil servants and staff of all subvented organizations. Do you think this pay cut is too much, too little, or just right?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Too much   Too little   Just right   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   21.1%   15.6%   48.5%   14.8%   100.0%  
  6/3/2002 Instant survey   17.6%   18.6%   46.9%   16.9%   100.0%  


How would you adjust the salaries of civil servants and staff of all subvented organizations if you were to make the decision?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Salary cut   Salary frozen   Salary raise   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   47.3%   30.9%   1.4%   20.5%   100.0%  

Break-down data

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Items   Sub-sample base   Salary cut   Salary frozen   Salary raise   DK/HS   Total  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   Being civil servants or salary linked with the salary scale of civil servants   106   35.8%   50.0%   0.9%   13.2%   100.0%  
Members of family being civil servants or salary linked with the salary scale of civil servants   153   39.2%   39.9%   3.3%   17.6%   100.0%  
Neither   922   50.4%   27.5%   1.1%   20.9%   100.0%  


By what percentage should it be adjusted?

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Sub-sample base   Mean   Standard Error  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   831   -3.69%   0.19  

Break-down data

Date of Survey Instant survey / Follow-up survey   Items   Sub-sample base   Mean   Standard Error  
  18-20/3/2002 Follow-up survey   Being civil servants or salary linked with the salary scale of civil servants   84   -1.86%   0.39  
Members of family being civil servants or salary linked with the salary scale of civil servants   111   -3.39%   0.68  
Neither   626   -4.01%   0.21