Recent Statewide Poll Reveals North Carolinians Strongly Oppose Cuts in Education Even as State Faces Budget Shortfall

RALEIGH, N.C., May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The North Carolina Association of Educators released a poll today that confirms North Carolina voters believe funding for public education should be a high priority, even in difficult economic times.

"In all the talk of lost revenue, elected leaders need to take notice that voters do support increased taxes in certain areas to balance the budget rather than cutting teachers, raising class sizes and diminishing every child's right to have access to a high quality public school education," said NCAE President Sheri Strickland.

When asked how to balance the state budget, 85 percent of survey respondents said they opposed cutting the number of teachers in public schools and raising class sizes. No other category of how to fix the budget -- including proposals to raise taxes -- received more opposition than cuts to education spending.

"We're certainly not surprised that North Carolinians understand how important public schools are to the future of our state and that -- even as we face a budget shortfall -- elected leaders should look elsewhere to reduce spending and raise revenue. Our citizens know that money spent on education is an investment in our children, not just an expenditure on a balance sheet."

Overall, the survey asked about budget priorities, how elected leaders should fix the budget, and whether or not voters support increased taxes as a form of additional revenue to the state.

Survey respondents were asked to rank what should be the state's priorities, and education is right there on top with the economy. Survey respondents also gave heavy support to raising taxes on tobacco, alcohol and income taxes for citizens who earn more than $150,000 a year, and closing corporate loopholes.

Key Findings

Survey Respondents Voiced Overwhelming Opposition to Cuts in Education

85 percent of those surveyed opposed a proposal to help fix the state budget deficit by cutting the number of teachers in public schools and raising class sizes.

Even with the state's dramatic budget situation, education cuts have the potential to generate significant blow-back in next year's elections. When asked who they would choose, 77 percent of voters are much less likely to support a legislator who voted to fix the $4.5 billion state budget deficit by cutting the number of teachers in public schools and raising class sizes.

Voters oppose, by a 60 percent to 36 percent margin, a proposal to help fix the state budget deficit by cutting spending for pre-kindergarten programs like Smart Start and More at Four.

North Carolinians say "YES" to Taxes on Tobacco, Alcohol, Wealthier Households and Out-of-State Corporations

Of the choices given in a list of proposals to help balance the state budget, here's what respondents selected as their top three:

Seventy-six percent support higher taxes on alcohol and tobacco;

Sixty percent support higher personal income taxes on households making more than $150,000 a year;

Seventy-seven percent said close corporate tax loopholes on out-of-state corporations.

Voters want cuts in state spending, but that doesn't mean education.

An impressive two-thirds of voters -- 66 percent -- say that with the economy in crisis, it's more important than ever for the state to support teachers and public schools.

An overwhelming 73 percent of those surveyed don't think that their local public schools have enough money to do a good job. They felt more money was needed. Only 22 percent felt that their local schools had enough money to do a good job.

Education is similarly important to jobs and the economy for voters

Given the choice of six priorities for the state, education (46 percent w/two choices combined) trails only the economy (46 percent). Although there is widespread awareness that the state budget is in trouble, fixing the budget deficit garners only 23 percent as the most important issue to be addressed by the governor and state legislators, improving public education came in much higher.

Teachers and Public Schools Are Doing a Great Job

In rating the job their local public schools are doing, the numbers were equally impressive. Seventy-one percent rated them excellent/good.

When asked to rate the quality of teachers in their local public schools, voters were even more impressed, logging in positive responses totaling 80 percent.

Demographics

55 percent were female, 45 percent male.

Ages of the survey respondents: 14 percent of respondents were 18 -29 years of age; 15 percent were 30-39; 19 percent were 40-49; 29 percent were 50-64; 22 percent were 65 or older.

Thirty-one percent had a college degree; 24 percent some college and 25 percent high school or less. Post grads were 18 percent.

75 percent were white, 19 percent African-American, and 1 percent Hispanic or Latino.

Geographically, respondents were located across the six regions of North Carolina. The percentages were as follows: Charlotte - 18 percent; Coastal - 23 percent; Mountain - 12 percent; Non-Metro Piedmont - 18 percent; Triad - 14 percent; Triangle - 16 percent.

27 percent said they currently have children in K-12 public schools; 72 percent said they do not currently have children in K -12 public schools.

Forty percent said their party affiliation was Democrat and 29 percent said Republican. Thirteen percent identified themselves as Independent.

The poll was conducted by independent research firm Anzalone/Liszt Research based in Washington, D.C. Interviews of 604 people selected at random were completed May 7-13, 2009. Margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level.


SOURCE North Carolina Association of Educators