Health Care:
Do Voters Favor a Health Care Reform Plan That Requires Higher Taxes?

One element that has been missing from the debate over health care is the question of whether voters favor a health care reform plan that requires higher taxes.

In five elections where that issue has been on the ballot, voters have said "no" to such proposals:

• 1918: Proposition 20 would have authorized the Legislature to devise a health insurance system and provide financial support for the system by voluntary and involuntary contributions from employers, other Californians and by state appropriations. It was defeated with 134,000 votes in support and 358,000 opposed.
• 1994: Proposition 186 proposed to finance a health care scheme with an 8.9 percent payroll tax and 2.5 percent income tax. It lost 2,213,000 to 6,111,000.
• 2004: Proposition 67 proposed a telephone tax to fund health care. Voters hung up on the idea, with 71.6 percent opposed.
• 2004: Proposition 72 proposed payroll taxes on employers to fund a $7 billion health care proposal. It lost 5,710,000 yes to 5,900,000 no.
• 2006: Proposition 86 proposed increasing the cigarette tax $2.60 per pack to fund health care. This very recent vote found 4,136,000 in favor, and 4,426,000 opposed.

Cal-Taxletter November 30, 2007

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