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Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner, David Kordus

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Public concern about the drought is at a record high: 69 percent of Californians say their regional water supply is a big problem.
  • A solid majority favor the governor’s budget (73%) and his state Earned Income Tax Credit proposal (60%).
  • Californians are divided on extending Proposition 30 tax increases. A solid majority (70%) favor increasing cigarette taxes, but fewer than half support other tax proposals.
  • Most California adults (67%) and public school parents (65%) say unvaccinated children should not attend public school. A large majority (87%) say vaccines are at least somewhat safe.

Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [PDF]
Governor Brown [PDF]
California State Legislature [PDF]
U.S. Congress [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [XLS]
Governor Brown [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]
U.S. Congress [XLS]

Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [PDF]
Economic Outlook for California [PDF]

Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [XLS]
Economic Outlook for California [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.

Report

California’s Political Reforms: A Brief History

By Eric McGhee

How does political reform happen in California? This report explores the dynamics that led to recent redistricting and primary system overhauls. It finds that the keys to success or failure are the coalitions policymakers build—and the tools they can use to fight or promote reform.

This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Renatta DeFever, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Californians are starting 2015 on an optimistic note: majorities see the state headed in the right direction and are hopeful that elected leaders will work together.
  • Partisans are divided over whether the state should use its budget surplus to pay down debt and build up the reserve or to restore social services.
  • Californians support increased funding for higher education but also want existing funds to be spent more wisely.
  • Most Californians see crime as a problem in their communities, and a majority think that minorities are not treated equally by the criminal justice system—blacks are especially likely to hold this view.

Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [PDF]
Governor Brown [PDF]
California State Legislature [PDF]
U.S. Congress [PDF]
Senator Boxer [PDF]
Senator Feinstein [PDF]
Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [PDF]
Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [XLS]
Governor Brown [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]
U.S. Congress [XLS]
Senator Boxer [XLS]
Senator Feinstein [XLS]
Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [XLS]
Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [XLS]

Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [PDF]
Economic Outlook for California [PDF]

Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [XLS]
Economic Outlook for California [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Future

By Mark Baldassare, Renatta DeFever, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner

Some findings of the current survey:

  • While many Californians believe the state will be a better place to live in 2025, most (55%) think that today’s children will be worse off financially than their parents.
  • A solid majority of Californians think that state and local governments are not doing enough to respond to the current drought.
  • Californians are divided along party lines about extending the Proposition 30 tax increases, but there is bipartisan support for raising taxes on cigarettes and alcohol.
  • Most Californians think the state is not adequately funding public colleges and universities—but few favor paying higher taxes or increasing student fees.

Job Approval Ratings:
    Governor Brown [PDF]
    California State Legislature [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
    Governor Brown [XLS]
    California State Legislature [XLS]

Mood of Californians:
    General Direction of Things in California [PDF]
    Economic Outlook for California [PDF]

Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
    General Direction of Things in California [XLS]
    Economic Outlook for California [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the California Postsecondary Education Commission Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, and the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Renatta DeFever, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Governor Brown leads Neel Kashkari by 16 points in the gubernatorial election; attention to election news and enthusiasm about voting is lower than in past elections.
  • Majorities support the water bond (56% to 32%) as record-high shares say that their regional water supply is a big problem.
  • Proposition 45, which would regulate health insurance rate changes, is down 9 points since last month, but the share considering the outcome as very important is up 11 points.
  • The share of Californians with unfavorable opinions of both major parties has increased since the last presidential election.

Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [PDF]
Governor Brown [PDF]
California State Legislature [PDF]
U.S. Congress [PDF]
Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [PDF]
Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [XLS]
Governor Brown [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]
U.S. Congress [XLS]
Their Own State Legislators in the Assembly and Senate [XLS]
Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives [XLS]

Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [PDF]
Economic Outlook for California [PDF]

Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [XLS]
Economic Outlook for California [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Most Californians say the health reform law has had no direct impact. One in five say it has directly helped and a similar share say it has directly hurt them.
  • In the gubernatorial election, Governor Brown continues to lead Neel Kashkari by a wide margin; just one in 10 are very closely following news about candidates.
  • As more Californians see the drought as the state’s most important issue, the water bond (Proposition 1) has a two-to-one margin of support (58% to 29%).
  • A solid majority of likely voters support Proposition 47, which would reduce sentences for some drug and property crimes.

Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [PDF]
Governor Brown [PDF]
California State Legislature [PDF]
U.S. Congress [PDF]
Senator Boxer [PDF]
Senator Feinstein [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama [XLS]
Governor Brown [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]
U.S. Congress [XLS]
Senator Boxer [XLS]
Senator Feinstein [XLS]

Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [PDF]
Economic Outlook for California [PDF]

Time Trends for the Mood of Californians:
General Direction of Things in California [XLS]
Economic Outlook for California [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.

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