Poll-Tax

PPIC has a new poll on taxes, marijuana, you name it. Yours truly is always skeptical about polls in which complex issues such as "split roll" property taxes are first explained to respondents and then opinions are garnered. Such exercises are easily susceptible to "framing" by pollsters. The "don't know" levels are implausibly low suggesting that folks are giving opinions on subjects about which they had no opinions before the pollster insisting on getting one. However, the general conclusion by PPIC on the prospects of enacting new taxes (such as through extending Prop 30's temporary taxes) is plausible and that conclusion is that it would be a tough sell for almost any proposal. Doing it via ballot proposition would invited monied opposition. Would oil companies be happy with an oil extraction tax? Tobacco companies would surely not be happy with increased cigarette taxes.

As for the Committee of Two deal for the UC budget and tuition, here are the reported results: [Click to enlarge.]

The full survey is at http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/survey/S_515MBS.pdf