People think the state should reduce spending

Washington state voters want legislators to cut spending but also support spending more on specific programs, according to a recent poll.

“People are not anti-government,” said pollster Stuart Elway during a legislative preview session Jan. 9. “People want government to work and to provide needed services but done efficiently and effectively.”

Elway established the Cascade PBS/Elway Poll in 1992. This year, 403 registered voters across Washington state were surveyed between Dec. 26 and 30, with phone calls, text messages and online survey questions. The poll has a 5% margin of error at the 95% confidence level.

As the Legislature began Jan. 13, one of the biggest challenges was a projected budget deficit of at least $10 billion over the next four years. Cuts will have to be made to make up the deficit, according to Governor-elect Bob Ferguson, who is proposing a “6% cut across state agencies.”

This year’s Elway Poll asked voters what they believed was the cause of the projected budget deficit. Forty percent said governmental waste and overspending. 

However, those polled were overwhelmingly in favor of increasing spending when asked about specific proposals likely to be discussed during the upcoming legislative session.

The poll showed:

• 74% support more funding for K-12 education;

• 73% support more money going toward hiring police officers;

• 68% support limiting annual rent increases;

• 63% are in favor of more funding for affordable housing; and

• 61% want the state’s tax structure revised.

Also, during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funding paid for free lunches to all school students. Now, this funding has been cut, yet some states continue to provide free lunches. Sixty-six percent of the survey respondents believe Washington should do the same. 

Elway says contradictory numbers like this are common when ideas are asked about separately.

“All ideas sound pretty good at first,” he said. “These are more specific proposals, all of which have constituencies.” And he added: “Government waste is a general concept, which no one favors.” 

To find more information, visit cascadepbs.org/politics. 

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