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Video: Californians and Their Government

By Vicki Hsieh

Researchers Deja Thomas and Rachel Lawler discuss key findings from the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, which examines Californians’ views on the economy, elected officials’ job performance, immigration policy, and other topics.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Future

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Californians show signs of optimism about the state’s future.
  • Strong majorities support spending reforms; smaller majorities support lowering the vote thresholds to pass state and local taxes.
  • Californians favor a "split roll” property tax but express record-high opposition to taxing services or increasing the vehicle license fee.

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 S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, The David and Susan Coulter Family Foundation, and the Walter S. Johnson Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha

Some findings of the current survey:

  • The state water bond and high-speed rail system lack majority backing, but both would gain support if costs were reduced.
  • Californians remain supportive of the citizens’ initiative, but they also favor procedural reforms.
  • Californians support both a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants and tougher border control.

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.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas

Key findings include: Proposition 30 on reducing greenhouse gas emissions has lost ground in the past month, with support among likely voters now falling short of a majority. Democrats hold an overall edge across the state's competitive districts; the outcomes could determine which party controls the US House of Representatives. Four in ten likely voters are satisfied with how democracy is working in the US. Many Californians have negative perceptions of their personal finances and the US economy this election season.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Higher Education

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Nicole Willcoxon

Some findings of the current survey:

  • About three-fourths of Californians say state funding for public higher education is inadequate.
  • Most Californians favor more money for higher education even at the expense of other state programs.
  • Almost 60 percent of all parents -- and 72 percent of Latino parents -- are very worried about paying for college.
  • Most Californians say the state’s three college systems are doing a good or excellent job.

Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Schwarzenegger
California State Legislature

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Schwarzenegger
California State Legislature

This survey was supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Higher Education

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha

Some findings of the current survey:

  • About six in 10 Californians say the state’s higher education system is headed in the wrong direction.
  • Three-fourths say there is not enough state funding for higher education.
  • Most say college affordability and the potential of more cuts are big problems for higher education.

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

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

This survey was funded with support from The James Irvine Foundation.

blog post

Californians’ Support for President Biden and the A-G-E Factor

By Mark Baldassare

Most California likely voters approve of President Biden’s job performance, even as less than a third say things in the US are going in the right direction. How do Californians’ views on three key issues—abortion, guns, and the environment—explain their support for the president?

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Jennifer Paluch, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman leads the field among likely voters in the GOP gubernatorial primary, but Democrat Jerry Brown beats all three potential Republican candidates in hypothetical 2010 general election matchups.
  • More than half of likely voters say the issues of lowering the legislative vote threshold to pass a state budget and allowing same-sex marriage are very important.
  • Half of Californians support proposed changes to the health care system, given what they know about the legislation. They take a pessimistic view of military efforts in Afghanistan, and are divided on President Obama’s proposal for more troops there.

Job Approval Ratings:
President Obama
Governor Schwarzenegger
California State Legislature
U.S. Congress
Their Own State Legislator in the Assembly and Senate
Their Own Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives

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

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

blog post

Five Takeaways on the 2021 Governor’s Recall

By Mark Baldassare

The PPIC Statewide Survey shows a deep partisan divide on removing Governor Newsom and highlights key factors likely to shape public support for a recall.

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