Posted on 08/02/2006 7:41:01 AM PDT by SmithL
SACRAMENTO - A new statewide poll released today shows that voters are more than willing to make life tougher for sex offenders, smokers and oil company executives.
More than three-fourths of voters -- 76 percent to 11 percent -- support Proposition 83, or Jessica's Law, according to Field Poll surveys on five of the 13 measures on the November ballot. The measure would lengthen sentences for sex offenders and require lifetime global positioning system monitoring
"It would be hard to beat back," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll. "I don't see a big 'no' side that would need to be present, so it's pretty comfortable at this stage."
Voters also strongly support Proposition 86, which is another tax on cigarettes, and Proposition 87, which is a tax on oil companies. Opponents, however, are gearing up for big-money campaigns to defeat them.
"Voters tend to be supportive in the early going in a fairly big way," DiCamillo said. "But once the campaign kicks in, you can see what the impact of the ad campaigns have with voter preferences.
"You need to start out with a big lead because you know the interests on the no-side will be waging a vigorous campaign to defeat them."
The tax on oil companies -- proceeds would promote investments in alternative energy -- is favored by 52 percent to 31 percent.
Oil companies already have poured in more than $10 million to defeat the measure. Proponents have raised a little more than $5 million, including a $1.1 million donation from Menlo Park venture capitalist Vinod Khosla.
The cigarette tax had an even wider margin of support, 63 percent to 32 percent, in the poll. The measure would impose a $2.65 per pack cigarette tax to fund hospital emergency services and health insurance to eligible children.
Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds are bankrolling two separate campaign committees to defeat it, and have dropped in a combined $2.1 million. So far, though, they've been easily out-raised by the initiative's proponents, led by the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, which on its own has poured in $7.5 million.
While Republicans typically reject tax increases, 54 percent of those who identify themselves as Republicans said they support a cigarette tax. Only 34 percent of Republicans supported the tax on oil companies.
"You wouldn't expect that kind of support," DiCamillo said. "It must be that if there's a very compelling purpose, like hospital emergency services, funding eligible children, these are motherhood issues that outweigh their reluctance."
The most closely contested measure so far is Proposition 85, which requires doctors to notify parents or guardians before an abortion is performed on a minor. In the poll, 44 percent support the measure and 45 percent oppose it.
A similar measure was put before voters in the November special election and failed by a 53-47 margin. No groups have formed campaign committees on the issue.
"Here we are, eight months from the last vote, and we have similar results," DiCamillo said. "It says voters have come to terms with this idea. They're slow to change their conclusions. It will certainly come down to the wire."
A plurality of voters -- 46 percent to 31 percent -- agree with Proposition 90, which would prevent state and local governments from condemning or damaging private property to promote other private projects.
The results were based on a survey of 762 likely voters, and had a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
So, 52% of Californians don't think they're paying enough for gasoline?
Looks like envy will collect a lot of California votes this year.
So, 52% of Californians don't think they're paying enough for gasoline?
-----
If this poll can even be believed, it shows how liberals "think". They are not being taxed, the RICH OIL COMPANIES ARE!! Such stupidity keeps liberalism alive, especially in Taxifornia.
No 52% of the bad sample that the Field poll chose support it.
ner-do-wells are always in favor of taxing their betters.
Class warfare is SOP for Rats.
I really think it is too late for this state or more accurately, too late for the state's taxpayers. We are all just doing the last swirls around the toilet bowl.
A mandatory death penalty for child rapists would be better - maybe next year.
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
$2.65 tax on about 70 cents worth of tobacco.
I want to know what Republicans are in favor of the cigarette tax increase. I'd like to give them a piece of my mind. People who don't smoke think "yeah, let's sock it to the smoker". What they don't realize is someday it will come back to bite them in the butt. I hate liberals and conservatives alike when they think they know what's best for me. What, more cigarette tax so stupid people like rob rheiner can do some more commercials about forcing preschool on the public?
http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=7151
"These are by no means the first tobacco-related smuggling arrests involving Michigan. In 2002, the Mackinac Center wrote about two cigarette smugglers arrested in an FBI sting. The duo were driving vans of illicit cigarettes from North Carolina to Detroit and allegedly using a portion of their profits to subsidize the work of Hezbollah, a terrorist organization in Lebanon with possible links to al-Qaida.
An associate of one of those smugglers, a Dearborn resident, was arrested in a different operation. He subsequently pled guilty to smuggling as much as $72,000 worth of illicit tobacco each month to Michigan. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he gave a portion of his profits to an "orphans of martyrs program" run by Hezbollah to help the relations of those killed in the group’s terrorist operations or by its enemies."
You are correct Bert, Cig. taxes should bring lots of terrorists into California to set up business.
8/2/2006 #2208: Big early leads for Prop. 86 (cigarette taxes), Prop. 87 (alternative energy/oil tax) and especially Prop. 83 (sex offenders).
Yes No Undecided Prop 83 Jessica's Law, sex offender punishment 76% 11 13 Prop 85 Parental Notification 44% 45 11 Prop 86 Cigarette Tax 63% 32 5 Prop 87 Alternative energy, Oil Tax 52% 31 17 Prop 90 Eminent Domain 46% 31 23
7/28/2006 #2206: Voters are supporting four of the five bond proposals on the November ballot, although not by overwhelming margins.
Yes No Undecided Prop 1B Highway/Traffic/Air/Port Bond ($19.9 billion) 54% 27 19 Prop 1C Housing/Emergency Shelter Bond ($2.8 billion) 33% 42 25 Prop 1D Kindergarten-Univ School Bond ($10.4 billion) 48% 37 15 Prop 1E Disaster/Flood Protection Bond ($4.1 billion) 47% 33 20 Prop 84 Water Quality/Park Bond ($5.4 billion) 49% 31 20
No Field Poll yet reported:
Prop 1A Transportation Funding Protection Prop 88 Parcel Tax Prop 89 Taxpayer Funding of Campaigns
Voters also strongly support Proposition 86, which is another tax on cigarettes... The cigarette tax had an even wider margin of support, 63 percent to 32 percent, in the poll.
The measure would impose a $2.65 per pack cigarette tax to fund hospital emergency services and health insurance to eligible children.
While Republicans typically reject tax increases, 54 percent of those who identify themselves as Republicans said they support a cigarette tax.
"You wouldn't expect that kind of support," DiCamillo said. "It must be that if there's a very compelling purpose, like hospital emergency services, funding eligible children, these are motherhood issues that outweigh their reluctance."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.