The mayor of a small city has suggested that the state locate a new prison there, arguing that the construction project and resulting jobs will be good for the local economy. a total of 183 residents show up for a public hearing on the proposal, and a show of hands finds only 31 in favor of the prison project. what can the city council conclude about the public support for the mayor’s initiative?

The city council may not be able to conclude anything about the public support that is gained for mayor’s initiative.

Explanation:

Here, in this case:

183 is the total number of residents that showed up .

Out of these only 31 raised their hand in favor of the mayor's initiative.

Therefore, we can state that :

The proportion of individuals in favor are given as

In Favor ≈ 0.17 or 17%

we can also state that the individuals who showed up can be biased. In similar regards, the method used to vote  may also tend to alter individuals  mind, further making these votes non-independent.

the declaration states, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness….”