September 2, 2003 - NEWS RELEASE
State Representative Al Juhnke
281 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155 651/296-6206
3951 Horizon Hills Circle, Willmar, MN 56201 320/235-4442
For Immediate Release
POLL SHOWS MINNESOTA WANT TO PROTECT SCHOOLS FROM BUDGET CUTS
Minnesotans say school funding should be protected from state budget cuts, but remain closely divided on other fiscal issues, Rep. Al Juhnke said today after receiving the results of the poll conducted at the House of Representatives' booth at the Minnesota State Fair.
Some 60 percent of the participants in the non-scientific survey said "no" when asked if education should be subject to budget cuts "in times of economic distress." In a second question on the poll. 44 percent supported efforts to balance the budget through budget cuts, while 47 percent indicated a willingness to accept unspecified tax increases. In separate questions, 70 percent said they would support higher cigarette taxes but 59 percent opposed raising the cost of vehicle license tabs.
"I think these results show people are seeking some sort of balanced solution to the state's ongoing financial problems," Juhnke, of Willmar, said. "They recognize the value of education, and are not as stidently opposed to all tax increases as some politicians seem to believe."
More than 6,000 people filled out the survey forms while visiting the official, non-partisan House booth in the Fair's Education Building. The survey was conducted by the non-partisan House Public Information Office.
In non-budget questions:
* 77% supported have both parents' income taken into account when calculating child support
payments in divorce cases.
* 56% opposed legalized mourning dove hunting, with only 18% supporting it.
* 53% supported raising the day-time speed limit on rural highways to 65 mph.
* 84% said they would not seek a handgun permit under the state's new conceal-carry law.
* 73% opposed allowing kids under age 16 to use ATV's or off-road vehicles on public lands.
* 49% supported keeping party designation in legislative elections, with 38% opposed.
* 60% opposed shrinking the Minnesota Legislature into a single-house, or unicameral, body.
The full text of questions and results is attached. Results will also be available on Rep. Juhnke's personal website, www.aljuhnke.com.
MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STATE FAIR POLL 2003
1. Under current law, child support payments are based on a noncustodial parent's income. Should both custodial and noncustodial parents' income be taken into account in calculating child support payments?
Yes 77.1% (5,654)
No 13.4% (982)
Undecided/No Opinion/Left Blank: 9.4% (693)
2. Education (not including higher education) funding makes up about 40 percent of the state's overall general fund budget. Should education funding ¯ including funding for public schools, after-school programs, early childhood, and adult basic education ¯ be subject to budget cuts during times of economic distress?
Yes 34.3% (2,517)
No 60.848/% (4,457)
Undecided/ No Opinion/Left Blank 4.9% (355)
3. From 1913 until 1973, legislators were elected in Minnesota on nonpartisan ballots, meaning there was no political party designation for individual members. Nebraska is the only state currently with a nonpartisan legislature. In addition, candidates for most local government offices (i.e. city councils and school boards) are not elected according to party designation. Do you support the practice of electing legislators according to political party designation?
Yes 48.9% (3,581)
No 38.5% (2,820)
Undecided/No Opinion 12.7% (928)
4. Mourning dove hunting has been banned in Minnesota since 1947. Should state law be changed to allow a mourning dove hunting season?
Yes 18.8% (1,380)
No 56.5% (4,139)
Undecided/No opinion 24.7% (1,810)
5. Should employers be allowed to pass along certain employment information, such as job references, wages, job description, or written disclosures of any instances of theft, harassment or other illegal conduct in a current and previous employee's record without the employee's consent?
Yes 34.7% (2,541)
No 58.9% (4,319)
Undecided/No Opinion 6.4% (469)
6. A bill that would have changed the statute of limitations for civil suits related to childhood sexual abuse stalled in the Legislature in 2003. According to a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling, individuals have six years to file suit, beginning when a person turns 18. Should the statute of limitations be extended?
Yes 58.5% (4,288)
No 32.7% (2,397)
Undecided/No Opinion 8.8% (644)
7. The speed limit on rural, two-lane state highways is now 55 miles per hour. A bill to raise the limit to 65 mph and keep the nighttime limit at 55 mph was introduced in 2003. Should the daytime speed limits on Greater Minnesota highways be raised?
Yes 53.4% (3,911)
No 42.9% (3,145)
Undecided/ No Opinion/Left Blank.10.0% (273)
8. In Minnesota, children between the ages of 12 and 16 may operate all-terrain vehicles, including four-wheelers and off-road motorcycles, on public lands if they possess a vehicle safety certificate and are accompanied by someone 18 or older operating another vehicle. Should young people under the age of 16 be allowed to drive all-terrain vehicles, including four-wheelers and off-road motorcycles, on public lands?
Yes 22.6% (1,608)
No 73.4% (5,219)
Undecided/ No Opinion 4.0% (288)
9. During the 2003 Legislature, a plan to allow state-owned gaming machines at Canterbury Park was considered. Portions of the additional revenue created would have been dedicated to the state's general fund. Do you support a state-operated casino?
Yes 52.8% (3,764)
No 43.6% (3,107)
Undecided/ No Opinion 3.6% (255)
10. In 2000, license tab registration fees were reduced to their current levels, including a $99 fee from the time a car is three years old, until it is 10 years old. Several bills discussed during the 2003 legislative session proposed increasing those fees to fund transit and additional road construction projects. Should license tab fees be increased?
Yes 36.5% (2,598)
No 59.3% (4,219)
Undecided/ No Opinion 4.2% (300)
11. Minnesota has a bicameral legislature, which means that it has both a House and Senate, like the U.S. Congress and 48 other states. One state, Nebraska, has a unicameral legislature, where there is a single lawmaking body. Would you support making Minnesota's Legislature unicameral?
Yes 31.0% (2,200)
No 60.7% (4,312)
Undecided/ No Opinion 8.3% (592)
12. Should the Legislature increase cigarette taxes?
Yes 70.7% (4,963)
No 22.8% (1,599)
Undecided/ No Opinion 6.5% (454)
13. During 2003, a new law was enacted changing the way handgun permits are issued in the state, requiring permits to be granted to individuals who meet a set of criteria, including a gun safety course. Do you plan to apply for a handgun permit or have you already applied for one?*
Yes 12.3% (881)
No 84.2% (6,011)
Undecided/ No Opinion 3.4% (243)
14. In general, the 2004-05 budget passed by the Legislature reflected reductions to 2002-03 levels and some fee increases to accommodate for a projected budget shortfall. Do you support budget cuts during times of economic distress as opposed to increasing certain taxes?
Yes 44.9% (3,186)
No 47.4% (3,359)
Undecided/ No Opinion 7.7% (544)
