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Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Proposition 19, which would have legalized marijuana in the state, captured the most voter interest of all propositions on the Nov. 2 ballot.
  • The support of independents was key for the election victories of governor-elect Jerry Brown and Senator Barbara Boxer.
  • Although every incumbent state legislator was re-elected, 81 percent of voters say they disapprove of the legislature’s job performance.

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

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

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

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

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

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are in a close race in the Democratic presidential primary; both candidates lead Donald Trump in potential November matchups.
  • Democrats Kamala Harris and Loretta Sanchez lead the top-two primary for the U.S. Senate, but almost a third of likely voters are undecided.
  • The Republican Party’s favorability rating has dropped sharply since December, while the Democratic Party’s favorability rating has held steady.
  • Most Californians and likely voters support extending Proposition 30 income taxes, increasing the tax on cigarettes, and legalizing marijuana.

Crosstabs:
All Adults [PDF]
Likely Voters [PDF]

Time Trends:
All Adults [PDF]
Likely Voters [PDF]

The survey was supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation and the PPIC Donor Circle.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Higher Education

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

Some findings of the current survey:

  • An overwhelming share of residents (84%) say affording college is at least somewhat of a problem for students today – and 53 percent call it “a big problem.”
  • Latinos are the most likely (79%) to say a college education is necessary for success in the workplace. Only 55 percent of whites say the same.
  • A strong majority of Californians (65%) say that many residents who are qualified don’t have the opportunity to attend college.
  • Over half (56%) of Californians think that getting a college education is more difficult than it was 10 years ago.
  • A whopping 92 percent of Californians who have attended college think that getting a higher education was money and time well spent.

This is the 81st PPIC Statewide Survey and the first on the topic of higher education in California. It is supported by funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Education

By Mark Baldassare

Some findings of the current survey

  • The share of Californians (58%) who say the quality of education is a big problem is higher now than at any time since 1998, when the PPIC Statewide Survey was launched.
  • Substantial majorities of residents (64%) and likely voters (60%) favor raising the income tax paid by the wealthiest Californians to fund education.
  • Eighty-seven percent of blacks are very concerned about high school drop-out rates, a much higher percentage than in any other group (Latinos 59%, Asians 51%, whites 50%).
  • A majority of Californians (73%) believe that students should have to pass a statewide test to graduate from high school.

This is the 66th PPIC Statewide Survey and the second in a series of special surveys focusing on education in California, made possible by a grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

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

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Californians are divided over Governor Brown’s budget plan—they are also split on how the state should use its budget surplus.
  • Most prefer alternatives to the governor’s plan to fund transportation infrastructure projects by raising fees and taxes.
  • Among Californians, Hillary Clinton has the highest favorability rating and Donald Trump has the highest unfavorability rating.
  • A record-high share of Californians (43%) view terrorism and security as a big problem in the state.

Crosstabs:
All Adults [PDF]
Likely Voters [PDF]

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 and the PPIC Donor Circle.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education

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

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Most Californians say that state funding for local schools is inadequate; solid majorities favor a Proposition 30 income tax increase extension and state and local school bonds.
  • Democrats and Republicans are divided on the Common Core standards. Still, a majority of Californians are confident that Common Core will help prepare students for college and careers.
  • While few Californians have heard of the Local Control Funding Formula, a solid majority are supportive after being read a short description of the policy.
  • Californians are concerned about preschool affordability; most favor using some of the state budget surplus to fund early childhood education programs.

Crosstabs:
All Adults [PDF]
Likely Voters [PDF]

Time Trends:
All Adults [PDF]
Likely Voters [PDF]

The survey was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the LA Partnership for Early Childhood Investment, the Silver Giving Foundation, and the Stuart 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.

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