New Field Poll Shows Voter Frustration at All Time High
The latest Field Poll released on September 12, 2008, illustrates the frustration voters are feeling about the delay in the passage of the California State Budget. In the face of the state’s ongoing Budget impasse, 82% of voters viewed the state’s Budget deficit as a very serious matter. Only 15% of voters polled approve of the State Legislature’s job performance—a new record low, and 73% expressed disapproval. The Field Poll reports this is the lowest approval rating ever recorded for the State Legislature over the past 25 years.
When asked which of the three Budget proposals were most favored, the poll revealed the most support is for the Democratic proposal at 32%, with the Governor’s plan a close second at 31%. The Republican plan was favored by only 19%. Another 14% of voters polled expressed disapproval of all three plans and 4% had no opinion. Interestingly, Republicans were more supportive of the Governor’s plan than the Republican proposal. The table below shows reaction to the three proposals:
|
Table 3
Voter reactions to
three proposals made to resolve the State Budget deficit |
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|
|
Total |
Democrats |
Republicans |
Non-Partisans/ |
|
Cut spending by about $6 billion and
raise income taxes on high-income earners by about $8 billion |
32% |
38% |
18% |
40% |
|
Cut spending by about $8 billion and raise the sales tax one cent on the dollar by about $5 billion (Governor’s Plan) |
31 |
30 |
36 |
24 |
|
Cut spending by about $11 billion and borrow about $2 billion from future state Lottery proceeds (Republican’s Plan) |
19 |
17 |
27 |
13 |
|
None (volunteered) |
14 |
12 |
14 |
17 |
|
No opinion |
4 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
Source: Field Poll September 12, 2008
—Nancy LaCasse