Taxes, unemployment and dissatisfaction with state government topped the list of issues for Pennsylvania residents who responded to a Penn State poll that asked their opinion of the most important problem facing Pennsylvania today.

The Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg has conducted an annual survey since 1987 to gauge the opinions of Pennsylvania residents on the most important problems the state faces.

According to this year's poll, 19 percent of respondents cited taxes as the most critical problem in Pennsylvania.

Unemployment and dissatisfaction with government and politics came in as the next top responses, according to the poll.

"I would definitely say taxes," Brian Stubenbort (junior-chemical engineering) said. "I just went to Miami for the bowl game, and it's amazing how the farther south you go, the cheaper everything is."

Andrew Batton (freshman-accounting) said he has also noticed an increase in the tax rates set by the state government.

"It seems like everything is going up," he said. "They could take the money from somewhere else, but they just keep raising taxes."

Eighteen percent of poll respondents reported that the unemployment rate is the most outstanding problem the state faces. Pennsylvania's economy is also a pressing issue for college students looking for internships and jobs after graduation.

"I'm looking for an internship, and it's been hard to find one in Pennsylvania," Stubenbort said. "It seems like all the jobs posted are out of state."

About 27 percent of poll respondents estimated Pennsylvania's economy to be "excellent" or "good," while 46 percent believed it to be "fair." The remaining 26 percent responded that it was "poor."

"Unemployment is a big problem, but a lot of people don't know about it," said Adina Steen (freshman-division of undergraduate studies). "Unemployment and homelessness go together."

The respondents were chosen randomly from the state's 1,933 telephone exchanges to ensure that every telephone household had an equal chance of being selected. The survey's results are comprised from the 859 completed telephone interviews.

"We ask open-ended questions so people could respond in any way," said Auden Thomas, director of the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg. "There are categories we cluster them into after we look at all the responses."

This year, nearly 7 percent of respondents cited education as a top issue facing Pennsylvania.

Some Penn State students are also concerned about education in Pennsylvania.

"Funding toward education is a problem, especially at Penn State," said Elisa Lopez (sophomore-crime, law and justice). "It's too high. The state and local governments are not giving enough funding, and students have to pay the difference."

Students majoring in education are also concerned about what the circumstances will be for their future students.

"The recent standardization is an issue because every child is so different," said Anna Diskin (freshman-elementary education). "Setting standards is easier in the long run, but it doesn't really help students."

Most respondents to the poll -- 57 percent -- said they believe circumstances in Pennsylvania will stay the same over the next year.

"So many little things add up," Stubenbort said.