With most Californians worried about the state budget and opposed to trigger cuts to education, a slim majority would support Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to increase taxes, according to a survey released yesterday by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Among likely voters, 52 percent said they would support Brown's proposal to raise the sales tax by half a cent and increase taxes on incomes of more than $250,000 for the next five years.
But when it comes to another Brown priority, high-speed rail, California voters are not as gung-ho. When told the project would cost $100 billion over the next 20 years, 53 percent of likely voters said they would oppose it.
Voters passed a $10 billion bond measure to build the system in 2008, but cost estimates and criticism of the project have grown. State Sen. Doug LaMalfa, R-Oroville, is trying to send the issue back to voters. He introduced a bill and ballot measure that would stop the state from issuing and selling more rail bonds.
"What (the survey) says is if we can get it on the ballot, there's a very, very strong possibility that they're going to vote to repeal the bonds," LaMalfa said. "The damage hasn't been done yet. It's not too late to save nearly $10 billion."
Still, Lance Simmens, spokesman for the California High-Speed Rail Authority, took heart in another survey statistic: Among all adults, not just likely voters, 51 percent said they support the rail project.
"That, I think, is very significant, that a majority of adults in California favor high-speed rail," Simmens said.
Simmens noted that the Public Policy Institute survey told participants the estimated cost of the project, but not much about its benefits or the cost of alternative ways to meet the "transportation and infrastructure demands of a growing population."
"When confronted with, 'Here are the costs and here are the benefits and here's the alternatives to do the same thing,' you might get different responses," Simmens said.
The survey quizzed Californians on a broad array of issues, from immigration and abortion to legislative term limits.
Among California Republicans likely to vote, the poll put Rick Santorum right behind Mitt Romney in the presidential primary, within the survey's margin of error. President Barack Obama, whose ratings have improved, would beat the Republican candidate by 16 percentage points.
The survey also added to evidence that attitudes on same-sex marriage are changing in the Golden State. Support for allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry rose from 47 percent in 2008 - just before voters approved Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage - to 56 percent of likely voters today.
Support for gay marriage grew among most demographic groups, including an 11 percentage point increase for Republicans, a 15 percentage point increase among evangelical Christians and a 13 percentage point rise for those 55 and older.
The percentage supporting gay marriage is even higher than in a poll conducted in September by the gay rights group Equality California. That poll, asking the same question, put support at 51 percent of likely voters.
"Public support for the freedom to marry is shifting absolutely in favor of same-sex marriage," said Rebekah Orr, an Equality California spokeswoman. "This continued shift in support of equality is something to celebrate."
Will Evans is an investigative reporter for California Watch, a project of the non-profit Center for Investigative Reporting. Find more California Watch stories here.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.