The Public Policy Institute of California released its first attempt to gauge how eager California voters are for state government reform today, and the results were somewhat mixed, even in the wake of the Titanic-sized budget crisis and general legislative malarkey that has left so many questioning Sacramento.
Of the 216,000 polled, 70 percent said they would support the switch to an open primary system, in which, regardless of party, the top two vote-getters would advance to a general election. Only 23 percent would support a move to a part-time legislature.
A whopping 80 percent of those polled agreed that the state budget process needs a major overhaul – music to reform groups’ ears – but they were divided on how to do it. A slight majority of 53 percent said the two-thirds majority needed for budget passage in the legislature should be lowered to 55 percent, and half agreed that local special taxes should pass with 55 percent of the vote. Only 33 percent agreed that the state constitution needs to be changed.
Californians still trust themselves and the initiative process more than the governor and legislature’s ability to make policy decision. And while most still believe Proposition 13 is a good thing, 58 percent believe commercial property ought to be taxed at current market value.
To read the full results of the survey go to the PPIC website.
