According to a new survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) on June 11, the majority of Californians support reducing the size of the federal government, oppose taxpayers funding healthcare for illegal immigrants, and oppose imposing tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China.
The survey, conducted from May 22 to 29, included a sample of 1,591 adult residents. The results showed that 57% of respondents support shrinking the federal government, with 27% “strongly supporting” and 30% “somewhat supporting” the idea.
Likewise, potential voters hold similar views, with 31% strongly supporting shrinking the federal government and 26% expressing some level of support.
Despite the long-standing efforts of the California government to provide costly healthcare insurance for illegal immigrants, the PPIC survey found that for the first time since 2015, a majority of residents are against this policy – 58% of adults and 61% of potential voters expressed opposition.
The survey, led by PPIC President Mark Baldassare, covered various policy issues.
Baldassare stated on June 11 that about half (53%) of California residents support cutting U.S. foreign aid, with 25% strongly supporting and 28% somewhat supporting; among potential voters, 49% expressed support.
In terms of political parties, a high percentage of Republicans, up to 84%, support cutting foreign aid, while among independent voters, the proportion is 54%, and among Democrats, only 33% express support.
Other survey topics included the approval rating of federal officials, tariff policies, and the trade-off of environmental regulations.
The survey revealed that only about one-third of respondents are satisfied with the governance of the president, Congress, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Regarding tariffs, 72% of respondents strongly oppose or somewhat oppose imposing new tariffs on Canadian goods; 70% oppose tariffs on Mexican goods; and 63% oppose tariffs on Chinese goods.
Regarding weakening environmental regulations on oil and gas extraction within the state, nearly sixty percent of respondents expressed strong opposition or some level of opposition.
Baldassare noted that California residents are concerned about the economic pressures brought by high prices and housing costs. He said, “Half of Californians indicate that recent price increases have caused financial difficulties; four in ten believe that housing costs are bringing economic pressure; one-third say the current economic situation is worse than a year ago.”
As for the future outlook, Baldassare stated that about 75% of Californians believe the state’s economy will face challenges in the next 12 months.
One-third of residents say their family’s financial situation is worse than last year, 13% believe there has been improvement, and 54% think it’s about the same as a year ago.