At Issue, Report Open Primaries By Eric McGhee Feb 10, 2010 Could an open primary system help end California’s political gridlock? Advocates of the "top-two-vote-getter” reform on California’s June 2010 ballot believe that it can. Others are skeptical. Eric McGhee finds that TTVG’s overall impact on California’s political landscape would probably be modest—although a small moderating effect might build over time. The analysis is based on open primary experiences in California and elsewhere.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Nicole Willcoxon Jan 27, 2010 Some findings of the current survey: Two-thirds of Californians would pay higher taxes to avoid cuts in K–12 funding. Seventy percent support spending cuts in prisons and corrections. Tom Campbell is ahead in the Senate primary race among Republican likely voters. Meg Whitman’s lead grows in the primary race for governor. Job Approval Ratings: President Obama Governor Schwarzenegger California State Legislature U.S. Congress Senator Boxer Senator Feinstein Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings: President Obama Governor Schwarzenegger California State Legislature U.S. Congress Senator Boxer Senator Feinstein Mood of Californians: General Direction of Things in California Economic Outlook for California Time Trends for the Mood of Californians: General Direction of Things in California Economic Outlook for California This survey is supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Jennifer Paluch, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek Dec 3, 2008 Some findings of the current survey: Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban that voters approved, drew support from evangelical Christians, Republicans, Latinos, voters without a college degree, and those aged 55 and older. The most frequently cited reason for voting against Proposition 4, the abortion measure that lost, was belief in a woman's right to choose (38%). Most voters agree that too much money was spent on the initiative campaigns (75%), the ballot wording was too complicated and confusing (63%), and that there were too many initiatives (52%). This is the 93rd PPIC Statewide Survey and the 33rd in the Californians and Their Government survey series, which is conducted to examine the social, economic, and political trends that influence public policy preferences and ballot choices. It is currently supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation.
Report California 2025: It’s Your Choice By Ellen Hanak, Mark Baldassare Jun 1, 2005 PPIC’s California 2025 research study found that trends and forces are building that, left unchecked, could seriously erode the quality of life in California in the next two decades. The study concludes that is imperative for policymakers and others who influence policy in the state to begin asking some hard questions and making some well-informed, careful choices now. California 2025: It’s Your Choice describes the trends, shows where they’re leading, and puts some options on the table to stimulate a discussion starting with the simple, but difficult, question: What kind of California do you want?
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on the California State Budget By Mark Baldassare May 26, 2005 Some findings of the current survey A vast majority of Californians (71%) view the state’s multibillion dollar fiscal gap between revenues and spending as a big problem. Only 7% of the state’s residents think the governor and legislature have made a lot of progress in solving the state’s budget problems. Most Californians (72%) express concern about the effects of budget cuts in the governor’s fiscal plans. 72 percent of Californians believe voters should make decisions about the budget and governmental reforms rather than abdicate that responsibility to the governor and legislature. Californians continue to express profound distrust of their state government: Only 29 % say they trust the government to do what is right just about always or most of the time. Most Californians say that state government is run by a few big interests—a view held by majorities of Democrats (72), Republicans (67%), and independents (64%). More residents say the state is headed in the wrong direction than the right direction (57% to 35%) and say they expect bad economic times rather than good times in the next 12 months (49% to 39%). This survey is the fifth in a series of special PPIC Statewide Surveys on the California State Budget and Fiscal System, begun in June 2003 and conducted in collaboration with The James Irvine Foundation. The intent of this series is to raise public awareness, inform decisionmakers, and stimulate public discussion about the current state budget and the underlying state and local finance system.
