MAINE PEOPLES RESOURCE CENTER

PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY

February 2-4, 2012 N=558

Accuracy
2

Uncannily close Considering the final results, the center receives kudos for its work. Portland Press Herald MPRC is bringing transparency and accountability to a challenging area of public debate MPRC is elevating the discourse around what Maine people actually think and want. Portland Phoenix
While there are conflicting numbers from two pollsters, I tend to believe the Maine People's Resource Center, or MPRC, has the more accurate findings. Over the last two years they have polled eight contests and, without fail, their findings among the published public polls have been closest to the actual results. Former LePage
Administration Communications and Policy Director Dan Demerrit
MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Methodology
3

A survey of 558 registered Maine voters in likely voter households was conducted by interactive voice response from February 2-4, 2013. Calls were made at different times of day to maximize the diversity of possible respondents. Questions were recorded by a female interviewer. Survey results were mathematically weighted by gender, age and geographic area to ensure an accurate representation of the population being surveyed. The sample was not weighted by party or ideology. The margin of error of this survey is 4.15%, 95 times out of 100. Subsamples may have a larger margin of error. Frequencies and percentages may not always add up to the total number of responses or to 100%, due to weighting and rounding.

MPRC is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to giving people, especially those groups that are under-represented in civic life, skills and information to participate in the decision-making processes that affect them.
MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

LePage Approval
4

Percent

Do you approve or disapprove of how Paul LePage is handling his job as governor?

60

40

20

approve disapprove not sure

39.5 54.1 4.9

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Democrats in Legislature Approval

5

Percent

Do you approve or disapprove of how Democrats in the Legislature are handling their jobs?

60

40

20

approve disapprove not sure

41.6 44.8 13.6

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Health Care

6

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept cutting spending on Medicaid, which is the government health insurance program for the poor, or is this something you would find unacceptable?

80 60
Percent

40
20 0

acceptable unacceptable not sure

30.0 62.9 7.1

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Education
7

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept cutting spending on local schools or is this something you would find unacceptable?

80 60
Percent

40
20 0

acceptable unacceptable not sure

26.5 67.8 5.7

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Property Taxes

8

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept increasing local property taxes or is this something you would find unacceptable?

100
80 Percent 60

40 20

acceptable unacceptable not sure

11.0 84.6 4.4

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Cancelling Tax Cuts

9

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept cancelling all the tax cuts passed by Governor LePage scheduled to go into effect this year, or is this something you would find unacceptable?

60

40 Percent

20

acceptable unacceptable not sure

42.0 37.7 20.3

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Estate Tax

10

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept cancelling the new tax cut for estates worth more than $1 million or is this something you would find unacceptable?

60

40 Percent

20

acceptable unacceptable not sure

45.2 26.2 28.7

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Sales Tax

11

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept raising the sales tax by one cent or is this something you would find unacceptable?

60

40 Percent

20

acceptable unacceptable not sure

51.1 44.8 4.0

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Corporate Taxes

12

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept increasing corporate taxes or is this something you would find unacceptable?

60

40 Percent

20

acceptable unacceptable not sure

52.5 35.0 12.5

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Cigarette Tax

13

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept raising the tax on cigarettes by $1.50 or is this something you would find unacceptable?

80 60
Percent

40
20 0

acceptable unacceptable not sure

71.7 25.1 3.2

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Lodging Tax

14

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept raising the lodging tax on hotel rooms to the New England average or is this something you would find unacceptable?

80 60
Percent

40
20 0

acceptable unacceptable not sure

73.0 18.9 8.1

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Taxes on Wealthy

15

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept raising income taxes on the wealthy or is this something you would find unacceptable?

80 60
Percent

40
20 0

acceptable unacceptable not sure

74.6 20.3 5.0

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Tax Fairness

16

In order to strike a deal to solve Maine's budget deficit, would you accept requiring those who make over $250,000 per year to pay at least as high a combined state and local tax rate as the average Mainer, or is this something you would find unacceptable?

80 60
Percent

40
20 0

acceptable unacceptable not sure

79.0 14.9 6.2

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Tax Fairness Subgroups

17

80 60
Percent

40 20 0

Republicans 65.9 24.3 9.8

Tea Party 56.1 33.1 10.8

Very Conservative 53.8 33.3 12.8

acceptable unacceptable not sure

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Budget Options
18

100 80

60 40
20 0

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Blame for Budget Delay

19

Percent

If a budget agreement is not reached, who do you think will be mainly to blame: Democrats in the Legislature or Governor LePage?

60

40

20

Democrats LePage not sure

38.1 47.8 14.1

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.

Frequencies
20 Gender Female % 52.4

Ideology Very liberal

Somewhat liberal Moderate

% 11.7
21.7 29.7 21.9 13.9

Male

47.6

Congressional District

Somewhat conservative Very conservative

1
2

51.6
48.4

Not sure

1.2

Age
Party Democratic Republican Independent/other % 36.5 31.0 32.5 18-34

%
16.0

35-49
50-64

23.6
33.8

65+

26.6

MPRC adheres to the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices.