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Field poll shows voters prefer spending cuts to solve $20 billion deficit

Field poll shows voters prefer spending cuts to solve $20 billion deficit
California’s fiscal woes continue to send approval ratings for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature to historic lows. Nevertheless, each year these elected representatives routinely fail to resolve the state’s budget deficit. For example, after a protracted budget impasse, the governor and Legislature finally reduced the 2009 budget by $60 billion, through tax increases, spending reductions, borrowing, and accounting shuffles, yet the state is again faced with a projected $20 billion shortfall for 2010.
In January, the governor called the 8th emergency session of the 2009-10 legislative year to specifically address the deficit. After two months of pontificating, posturing and politicking, the Legislature sent the governor a fiscal package that primarily consisted of accounting gimmicks. The governor responded by approving only $200 million of the $2.6 billion package and issuing a stern veto message that stated: “The longer the Legislature delays action on real reductions, the more difficult the choices become. I encourage the Legislature to return to work in the Extraordinary Session and act on actual spending reductions that will address California’s fiscal emergency.”
A recent Field Poll showed that California voters agree with Governor Schwarzenegger’s call for spending reductions. According to the poll commissioned by Next 10, 50% of the state’s registered voters prefer closing the deficit either completely or primarily through spending cuts. Conversely, only 13% support reducing the deficit wholly or mostly through tax increases:
Spending cuts only                                          31%
Mostly spending cuts                                       19%
Equal mix of cuts and taxes                              29%
Mostly tax increases                                        9%
Tax increases only                                          4%
No Opinion                                                     8%
This poll’s findings are consistent with the voter’s rejection of previously proposed tax increases in the May 2009 special election, when the Legislature and governor placed five measures on the ballot that would have increased Californians’ taxes in an effort to close the 2009 budget deficit. Each of those measures were rejected by more than 60% of the vote. 
The Field Poll also confirms previous findings of voter dissatisfaction with government and its inability to address voter concerns. According to poll respondents, 63% believe state government is failing to respond to “the needs of people like themselves or their families.” This sentiment was felt strongly by both Democrats and Republicans, with 61% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans affirming this statement.
As the 2010 budget season progresses, Californians’ weariness will be magnified if the Legislature continues to refuse to make necessary spending reductions. Already the state’s credit rating remains the lowest in the nation and the 12.4% jobless rate continues to surpass the national average. 
Absent courageous and responsive leadership to dissolve California’s recurring budget deficit, legislators and the governor will continue to lose the confidence of California families.
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