CA: Governor facing uphill ballot battle

Press-Enterprise ^ | 6/22/05 | Claire Vitucci and Jim Miller

[NormsRevenge]

Gov. Schwarzenegger has his work cut out for him in November if he wants to get voters to pass his government-overhaul initiatives, a new poll indicates.

Today's poll by the nonpartisan Field Institute, prepared for The Press-Enterprise and other California media subscribers, shows that more voters surveyed, 47 percent, would vote against the governor's proposal to cut spending when state revenues fall. And 44 percent of voters told pollsters they would cast ballots against Schwarzenegger's idea of using retired judges to redraw the state's legislative and congressional districts.

"That's not a good sign," said Mark DiCamillo, the poll director. "Field Poll history shows that when initiatives trail, their chances of passage are not that great."

Field Institute data show that among 53 statewide ballot propositions between 1996 and now, where the measures trailed in the first polls before the the election, only 13 percent were later approved by voters.

In today's poll, many voters said they were undecided about both the state spending cap and the redistricting initiatives. About 22 percent said they didn't know how they'd vote on the state spending cap. An additional 23 percent said they were undecided about redistricting.

Democrats in the Legislature oppose the special election.

Schwarzenegger Upbeat

Schwarzenegger said Tuesday he is optimistic that he and the leaders of the Democrat-controlled Legislature will reach agreement on compromise ballot initiatives that both parties could get behind.

"I think we can resolve this and we can go together to the special election, Democrats and Republicans alike, and also that we can solve this budget," Schwarzenegger said.

He said he is not discouraged by another Field Institute poll this week that shows low approval ratings for his job performance.

Tuesday's poll found that 16 percent of registered Democrats and 35 percent of independent voters surveyed approve of the governor's job performance.

However, 66 percent of Republicans told pollsters they back him.

Voters are upset with all lawmakers, Schwarzenegger said, not just him.

"I guarantee you that all of us in this building can share blame. All of us. Including myself," he said.

"People make mistakes sometimes and I think if we learn ... this is a very clear message that we must work together."

Today's poll shows that a majority of voters surveyed do favor one of the governor's proposals: increasing teacher tenure from two to five years. About 59 percent of voters participating in the poll said they approved of the idea. Thirty-five percent said they would vote against it.

"If you're going to have personality changes or burnout, it would give you a longer period of time to be your true self," said Vickie Tallman, a 50-year-old cosmetologist from Barstow, who said she supports the teacher-tenure measure. "Are you going to suffer burnout at the end of two years? Probably not."

The spending-cap initiative would limit the amount that government spending could increase each year.

It would give the governor the power to cut programs midyear if the budget fell out of balance and allow him to cut any program, including education.

"I don't agree with this at all," said Pamela Brennan, 51, of Highland. "This is a kid's education we're talking about. I don't think he should be allowed to cut it at all. If anything, I'd like to see him add to it."

Eight Measures on Ballot

The three governor-backed initiatives are among eight measures that have qualified for the Nov. 8 ballot.

Redistricting proposals have been a tough sell among California voters.

Initiatives that would change how the state's legislative and congressional lines are drawn have failed in the past.

"Voters don't see a direct link between this and themselves and their lives and they tune out the issue of redistricting and its implications," DiCamillo said.

Today's poll shows that voters who know little about the redistricting proposal are more likely to vote it down.

Likely voters who were familiar with the initiative said they favored it 47 percent to 43 percent, with 10 percent undecided.

Of those who said they had no knowledge of the redistricting plan, 50 percent said they would vote against it, compared with 17 percent who said they'd back it.

A large number, 33 percent, said they were undecided.

"I'll probably bone up on it just before the election," said Joe Ekaitis, a 50-year-old communications technician. "I don't know how it's going to affect where I live in Rialto."

Today's poll sampled 955 adults, including 711 registered voters from June 13 through Sunday. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

[NormsRevenge]

W.A.S.S.

[goldstategop]

Its still early. California voters need to educate themselves that their government spends too much, wants too tax them too much and gives little value for the money the taxpayers do send Sacramento. Right now as far the civics lesson goes, California voters deserve a big fat "F".

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[skip_intro]

California voters need to educate themselves that their government spends too much, wants too tax them too much and gives little value for the money the taxpayers do send Sacramento.

It's more than a little annoying that they haven't figured this out yet.

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks for being the optomist. lol

When so many undecideds , just by declaring themselves as such in a poll, make this state choose to not even act when it most needs to , what can ya say?

[calcowgirl]

Read the poll here:

http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2159.pdf

6/22/2005 #2159: Schwarzenegger's Special Election Initiatives - More voters inclined to vote no on Governor's state spending/school funding and redistricting initiatives. Majority favors school teachers tenure changes.