I'd read that report carefully and ask about their data.
A better summary heading might be: "Among the kind of people who answer surveys, their personal perceived negatives are beginning to outpace the positives."
I took the survey, to my recollection it was all vibes and feelings and as far as I can tell no actual numbers. Though economics are mentioned in the linked article, I don't think anything was actually quantified, at least in terms of positive vs. negative.
I understand that people's feelings and perceptions of what it is like to live in a tourist town are valid, and can be indicators of what could be thought of as positive and negative. And that matters, I don't need numbers to tell me that I like or dislike more traffic and crowding at trailheads. But to frame it as "this study shows that costs outweigh the benefits" (with the implication of scientific rigor behind it) is not completely accurate.
Jimmy Livengood