Recent polls show that over 1/3 of California residents believe that the cost of living is the most pressing challenge facing California and the United States as a whole, followed by housing affordability, homelessness, and issues related to crime and drugs.
A June statewide survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California highlighted that economic conditions, including inflation, are the most frequently mentioned urgent issues in California currently.
Dean Bonner, Deputy Survey Director of the institute, noted during a webinar on June 14th, “It’s noteworthy that we rarely see such a high proportion of attention focused on a single topic since the COVID epidemic was identified as the top issue back in February 2021.” The survey was conducted from May 23 to June 2, with 1,600 adult residents participating.
Furthermore, a majority of respondents believe that California is on the wrong track and anticipate financial difficulties in the next 12 months, a concern that has been growing over the past year.
Regarding the state budget deficit, 42% of respondents consider it a significant issue.
While over half of the respondents still support Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised May budget proposal, opinions vary on specific spending cuts and the use of emergency funds. The survey revealed that the state legislature passed the budget on June 13, awaiting the governor’s signature for implementation.
Most respondents express a preference for lower taxes, even if it means a reduction in services provided by the state government. At the same time, they support raising taxes on California’s wealthiest residents and largest corporations.
Housing affordability was identified as the top concern by 19% of respondents, followed by 13% selecting homelessness, and 7% expressing concerns about crime and drug issues.
Bonner stated, “We found that the majority of Californians feel that housing costs are putting financial pressure on their families.”
The survey also uncovered differences among political parties, with Democrats and non-partisans more likely to consider housing and homelessness as top concerns, while Republicans are inclined to view government issues as more severe.
Overall, the survey indicated that less than half of respondents approve of Governor Newsom, the state legislature, or their own district’s legislators.
On a national scale, the cost of living and economic issues once again emerged as the top concerns for California respondents, with 26% mentioning this, followed by government performance and elected officials, referenced by 19% of respondents.
Additionally, 10% of respondents viewed immigration, including illegal immigration, as a primary issue facing the United States. Approximately 5% mentioned issues such as crime, drugs, homelessness, and housing prices.
Across different political stances, the proportion of people considering government as the top issue is similar.
However, Bonner pointed out that Republicans are significantly more concerned about immigration issues compared to other groups: “Economic problems are the top concern for most groups, but it’s worth noting that Republicans’ level of concern about immigration is comparable to economic or government issues.”
The report highlighted that with these accumulating issues, people’s pessimism is deepening today.
The survey showed that 3/4 of California adults and potential voters believe that the United States is heading in the wrong direction, a view that has increased since May 2021 when only 43% held this belief during the pandemic. Only 23% believe that the U.S. is on the right track, the lowest level since August 2008.
Similarly, nearly 70% of California residents predict economic difficulties in the next year for the U.S. Bonner said, “You’ll find that the majority of Californians hold a pessimistic outlook on the state and national developmental direction and economic prospects.”
The report indicated that 42% of adults and 50% of potential voters approve of President Joe Biden’s performance, while the vast majority disapprove of the U.S. Congress and local federal representatives.
As the presidential debate on June 27 approaches, people are also asked about their views on the candidates.
While national polls indicate a close race, Biden significantly leads over former President Trump in California, with 55% to 31% support. Additionally, 36% of potential California voters state that they are “very concerned” about the upcoming presidential candidate debate.
The survey also revealed that despite criticisms within the party regarding Middle Eastern policies for Biden and Trump’s ongoing felony trial and conviction, party supporters overwhelmingly favor their respective candidates.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Adam Schiff leads 62% to 37% over Republican Steve Garvey. Over 90% of party supporters back their respective candidates, while independent voters are more divided, with Schiff receiving more support.
Moreover, 62% of potential California voters indicate they would vote for Democratic candidates in the U.S. House elections.
Bonner further commented, “The ballot in November may be quite rich, requiring voters to cast votes on many propositions.”
Following legislative approval, four constitutional amendments will appear on the November ballot, including measures for marriage equality, eliminating voter approval for low-income housing projects, allowing local governments to fund affordable housing and public infrastructure through a special tax with 55% voter consent, and requiring a 2/3 majority vote for certain decisions, needing approval from 2/3 of voters.
In addition, the Secretary of State announced that 10 proposals are eligible, with four still under evaluation after signature submission.
Voters will know which proposals will proceed to the vote by June 27.