Public Opinion Poll

Californians Oppose Tax Increases by Nearly Two-to-One Margin

public opinion

When asked if tax increases should have been included in the governor’s budget plan, just 34 percent of likely voters said they should have been included, while 60 percent said they should not have been included, according to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll released June 4.

Opposition to taxes was expressed across regions of the state, ages, education levels, income levels, and racial/ethnic groups, the PPIC found.

Democrats (43 percent) are more likely than independents (29 percent) and Republicans (14 percent) to say taxes should have been included, the PPIC reported.

The poll did not include any questions about the split-roll initiative or any other specific tax proposals.

When asked what they think is the most important issue facing people in California, respondents were most likely to name either COVID-19 (35 percent of likely voters) or jobs and the economy (25 percent of likely voters). Issues with fewer mentions include health care (5 percent), housing costs and availability (7 percent), and homelessness (4 percent).

COVID-19 and jobs and the economy are named as top issues across the regions of the state by similar shares of adults, the PPIC said. In September, Californians were most likely to name homelessness (16 percent) and jobs and the economy (13 percent) as the most important issues.