The Associated Press -- May 20, 2010
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—California voters might not agree on how to solve the state's $19 billion deficit, but a new poll finds an appetite for changing the budget process.
According to a survey released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California, 51 percent of likely voters support lowering the two-thirds threshold for the Legislature to pass the budget each year.
Support drops to 44 percent if the state went to a simple majority for passing both the budget and tax increases.
The poll also found that nearly eight in 10 adults support pay-as-you-go budgeting, which would identify a funding source for any new or expanded programs.
Other popular ideas include changing to a two-year spending plan and cutting off lawmakers' pay whenever the state budget is late.
According to the PPIC survey, 51 percent think it’s a good idea to lower the vote requirement to pass a state budget from a two-thirds vote to a simple majority or 50-percent-plus-one vote while keeping the two-thirds vote requirement for passing state taxes and only 38 percent think it’s a bad idea.
In addition, another element of our initiative – requiring that the members of the state legislature forfeit their pay and per-day allowance when the state budget is late – received 75 percent support while only 19 percent think it’s a bad idea.
Posted on
Thu, May 20, 2010
by Majority Vote Budget Initiative