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THE LOUISIANA BUDGET
PROJECT
Is Public Opinion Really Anti-Tax and Pro-Spending
Cuts?
PUBLIC OPINION, THE STATE BUDGET, AND TAXES AND SPENDING Raising State Government Revenue
Distrust & State Government SpendingAccountabilityDedicated SpendingFairness
Public Aversion to Spending Cuts? Defining the Choices
Bad Government v. Limited GovernmentSmart Government v. Limited Government
The Politics of Tax Cuts and the Costs of Jumping Off the Budgetary Cliff
STATE BUDGET POLITICS:
SPENDING CUTS AND TAXES
SUPPORT FOR A COMBINATION OF SPENDING CUTS AND TAX INCREASES (2009 & 2010)
5.3 6.2
47.840.5
4.7 2.8
41.4
51.1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Don’t know By raising taxes By cutting spending
Combination of spending cuts and
tax increases2009 2010
OPINION SPLIT ON WHETHER CUTS HAVE GONE TOO FAR OR NOT FAR ENOUGH (2010)
12.7
40.3 40.9
6.1
0.05.0
10.015.020.025.030.035.040.045.0
Don't Know/Not Sure
Budget Cuts Have Gone Too
Far
Budget Cuts Have Not Gone
Far Enough
State budget cuts are about
right (volunteered)
IT WAS A BAD IDEA TO REPEAL THE STELLY PLAN (2010)
24.9
24.2
51.0
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0
Don't Know/Haven't Given It Enough Thought
It was a good idea to repeal the Stelly Plan because it cut state
income taxes
It was a bad idea to repeal the Stelly Plan because it cost state tax revenue and contributed to
current budget shortfal
STATE INCOME AND SALES TAXES ARE TOO HIGH AND NEED TO BE REDUCED
3528
44.8
32.0 30.7
49
36
52.4
42.9 40.8
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
State Income Taxes State Sales Taxes
CONTINGENT SUPPORT FOR TAX INCREASES
9.1
24.8
44.1
53.4
68.2
70.5
77.2
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 90.0
Increasing state taxes on gas and oil
Reducing or eliminating the homestead exemption
Increasing the state sales tax by one or two cents
Increasing state income taxes on higher earning individuals and households
Increasing state taxes on tobacco
Increasing state taxes on alcoholic beverages
Increasing state taxes on gaming in casinos
CONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR GASOLINE TAXES
020406080
100
9.1
54.9
89.3
43.6
Favor Oppose
UNWILLING TO WIELD THE STATE BUDGETARY AXE: RESPONDENT PREFERENCES FOR SPENDING CUTS
11.1
12.4
12.4
12.8
11.6
24.4
19.5
20.3
24.2
30.0
37.9
41.0
43.4
49.6
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0
Public Health Care
Primary and Secondary Education
State Colleges and Universities
State Roads and Infrastructure
Vocational and Workforce Training
Environmental Regulation
Economic Development Incentives
Major Cuts Minor Cuts
PERCEPTIONS OF STATE GOVERNMENT WASTE
State Government Waste a Lot of Taxpayer Money
State Government Waste Some Taxpayer Money
Percent State Government Spending Could be Reduced by Cutting Waste
Right Programs Too Much Spending
Unnessary Programs
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
57.9
35
23.9
26
55
HIGHER EDUCATION
Don't know; 1.7Major cuts; 12.4
Minor cuts; 30.0
No spending
cuts; 55.9
Preferences for Spending Cuts to State Colleges and Universities
CONCERNS BUDGET CUTS WILL AFFECT THE OVERALL QUALITY OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
52.5
32.9
9.9
2.8
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
Very concerned Somewhat concerned
Not very concerned
Not at all concerned
STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO RAISE TUITION AND FEES TO OFFSET BUDGET CUTS
10.0
31.3
7.9
35.0
15.8
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree Strongly disagree
HEALTH CARE
Don't know; 1.2Major cuts;
11.1
Minor cuts; 20.3
No spending cuts; 67.4
Preferences for Spending Cuts to Health Care for Poor, Elderly and
Disabled
CONCERN SPENDING CUTS WILL AFFECT THE OVERALL QUALITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE IN LOUISIANA
2.4
63.5
24.8
7.71.6
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
Don't know Very concerned
Somewhat concerned
Not very concerned
Not at all concerned
POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES
PERCEPTIONS OF IMPACT OF BUDGET CUTS ON THE RESPONDENT AND THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY
Don't Know/Not Sure,
3.2
Serious Impact, 25.9
Somewhat of an impact, 39.2
Little or no impact, 31.8
PERCENT OF LOUISIANA RESIDENTS SAYING THE STATE IS HEADED IN THE RIGHT AND WRONG DIRECTION, 2007-2010
33.0
51.0 48.8 47.550.0
33.0 31.0
38.4
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
2007 2008 2009 2010
Right Direction Wrong Direction
PERCENT VERY OR SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT STATE GOVERNMENT WILL EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM
56.2
33.340.1 39.0
60.964.5
54.0
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
2005 2006 Spring
2006 Fall 2007 2008 2009 2010
CONCLUSIONS
LOUISIANA PUBLIC OPINION A “New Louisiana” v. Anti-Tax Sentiment
Framing the Debate
Defining ChoicesBad Government v. Limited GovernmentSmart Government v. Limited Government
The Political Consequences of “No New Taxes”
ABOUT THE LOUISIANA SURVEY
Barometer of Louisiana public opinion, 2002-2010 Beginning in 2009, dual frame sampling of landline and
cell phone populations Each survey includes 800-1,000 respondents The 2010 Louisiana Survey is based 913 total respondents
including 510 landline telephone interviews and 403 cell phone interviews (+/- 3.2 margin of error, +/- 4.3 on landline)
Weighted to reflect current population estimates from the American Community Survey and based on NHIS estimates of telephone use.