Chariot LLC just completed another statewide omnibus survey and the budget debate was one of our main focuses.  We have fresh budget debate numbers and they are pretty decisive on the issue of how Californians want the crisis solved.

By a 63%-25% margin, Californians believe in spending cuts rather than tax increases to solve the budget crisis – even when education is mentioned specifically.  Among those who prefer spending cuts, 75% hold “strong” opinions.  This all adds up to roughly half (47%) of California strongly opposed to tax increases.  This is a decisive position.  Even among Democrats roughly half (49%) want spending cuts and only 31% want tax increases.  DTS voters prefer spending cuts 69%-21%.

In the event of a budget deal that includes Republicans voting for tax increases, those voting ‘aye’ are staring at daunting numbers back home: 71% of Republicans who want spending cuts instead of tax increases (61% strongly).  Among voters in Republican-held Senate and Assembly Districts, spending cuts beat tax increases approximately 69%-21%.

The government worker furloughs issue is more even, but also polarized.  Voters are statistically tied at 45%-44% favor/oppose government worker pay and benefits sacrifice to balance the budget, and on both sides the opinions are strong ones.

Other issues such as offshore oil drilling (good #’s), approval ratings etc (bad #’s) were also asked.  The first release stage of the survey is available here. 

As the week goes on we’ll be releasing some fascinating data on fixing the Republican party and 2012 GOP presidential primary preferences.