WisconsinReporter.com is a new statehouse news organization covering all of the legislative action in Wisconsin. It is a product of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a national nonprofit journalism organization.
The Franklin Center commissioned a poll of 500 likely voters in Wisconsin, which was conducted Feb. 21.
The results and specifics of the poll are listed below.
1* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable opinion of the budget repair bill proposed by Gov. Scott Walker?
39% Very favorable
11% Somewhat favorable
14% Somewhat unfavorable
36% Very unfavorable
0% Not sure
2* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression of the union workers and their supporters demonstrating at the Wisconsin Capitol?
36% Very favorable
13% Somewhat favorable
18% Somewhat unfavorable
30% Very unfavorable
3% Not sure
3* Next, Wisconsin faces an estimated budget deficit of about $3.6 billion over the next two years … Which approach would you choose for dealing with the state’s budget shortfall … rely entirely on spending cuts with no tax increases … rely mainly on spending cuts, with some tax increases … have an even balance of spending cuts and tax increases … rely mainly on tax increases, with some spending cuts … or rely entirely on tax increases, with no spending cuts?
30% Rely entirely on spending cuts with no tax increases
27% Rely mainly on spending cuts, with some tax increases
33% Have an even balance of spending cuts and tax increases
7% Rely mainly on tax increases, with some spending cuts
2% Rely entirely on tax increases, with no spending cuts
1% Not sure
4* Governor Walker is asking unions to pay 5.8% of their salary toward the cost of their pensions plans and double their contributions for health care premiums to 12.6%. Is that fair?
71% Yes
22% No
7% Not sure
5* How likely is it that you would support the recall of state senators who left the state to avoid a vote on the budget?
37% Very likely
10% Somewhat likely
12% Not very likely
36% Not at all likely
5% Not sure
6* Generally speaking, are government workers in your community better compensated than private sector workers?
48% Yes
29% No
23% Not sure
7* Generally speaking, do government workers in your community have better benefits than private sector workers?
69% Yes
14% No
17% Not sure
8* Should school districts fire teachers who call in sick to protest Governor Walker?
32% Yes
53% No
15% Not sure
9* Should Wisconsin’s state employees and public employee unions have collective bargaining powers?
56% Yes
32% No
12% Not sure
10* Given these choices, which approach would you take for dealing with a school district budget shortfall … reduce teacher pensions and salaries or cut sports and extra-curricular programs for students?
44% Reduce teacher pensions and salaries
34% Cut sports and extra-curricular programs for students
22% Not sure
11* Who do you think is doing the best job at tackling spending and budgets issues — state officials such as Gov. Walker or lawmakers in Washington?
46% State officials such as Gov. Walker
33% Lawmakers in Washington
21% Not sure
12* Do you believe that President Obama should get involved in state disputes like the one in Wisconsin or focus his efforts on the federal budget battle in Washington?
27% Obama should get involved in state disputes
68% Obama should focus his efforts on the federal budget
5% Not sure
13* Is anyone in your household a member of a state public employee union?
23% Yes
75% No
2% Not sure
14* In the November 2010 election for Governor, did you vote for Tom Barrett or Scott Walker?
45% Barrett
46% Walker
8% Some other candidate
1% Not sure
15* Should Wisconsin residents be allowed to carry a concealed weapon?
45% Yes
45% No
10% Not sure
16* Should Wisconsin residents be required to present a photo ID in order to vote?
68% Yes
27% No
6% Not sure
NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. The telephone survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted by Pulse Opinion Research on February 21, 2011. Pulse Opinion Research, LLC is an independent public opinion research firm using automated polling methodology and procedures licensed from Rasmussen Reports, LLC.
http://www.wisconsinreporter.com/official-poll-results
