New PA Polling: 63% favor taxing natural gas; 78% oppose cuts to K-12 funding

[PA Democrat]

Some more detail here of Franklin & Marshall College Poll:

Taxing companies that extract and sell natural gas
Mar 2011
41% Strongly Favor
21% Somewhat Favor
13% Somewhat Oppose
17% Strongly Oppose
8% Do Not Know

Placing new taxes on the sale of smokeless tobacco and cigars
Mar 2011
53 % Strongly Favor
19% Somewhat Favor
7% Somewhat Oppose
19% Strongly Oppose
3% Do Not Know


Increasing the state income tax
Mar 2011
6% Strongly Favor
21% Somewhat Favor
22% Somewhat Oppose
46% Strongly Oppose
6% Do Not Know


Increasing the state sales tax
Mar 2011
10% Strongly Favor
26% Somewhat Favor
18% Somewhat Oppose
42% Strongly Oppose
4% Do Not Know


Reducing state funding for state prisons
Mar 2011
23% Strongly Favor
20% Somewhat Favor
27% Somewhat Oppose
19% Strongly Oppose
11% Do Not Know


Reducing state funding for local school districts
Mar 2011
7% Strongly Favor
12% Somewhat Favor
20% Somewhat Oppose
58% Strongly Oppose
3% Do Not Know


Expanding the sales tax to include more items
Mar 2011
16% Strongly Favor
36% Somewhat Favor
15% Somewhat Oppose
30% Strongly Oppose
4% Do Not Know


Reducing the number of state employees
Mar 2011
35% Strongly Favor
25% Somewhat Favor
12% Somewhat Oppose
23% Strongly Oppose
5% Do Not Know


Selling the state-owned liquor stores to private companies
Mar 2011
45% Strongly Favor
19% Somewhat Favor
11% Somewhat Oppose
15% Strongly Oppose
11% Do Not Know


Increasing business taxes
Mar 2011
14% Strongly Favor
23% Somewhat Favor
24% Somewhat Oppose
32% Strongly Oppose
6% Do Not Know


Placing tolls on major highways
Mar 2011
13% Strongly Favor
22% Somewhat Favor
21% Somewhat Oppose
39% Strongly Oppose
6% Do Not Know


Reducing state funding for Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income residents
Mar 2011
12% Strongly Favor
14% Somewhat Favor
20% Somewhat Oppose
50% Strongly Oppose
5% Do Not Know


Reducing the pay and benefits of public employees
Mar 2011
25% Strongly Favor
20% Somewhat Favor
20% Somewhat Oppose
27% Strongly Oppose
8% Do Not Know


Cutting state funding in half for the state’s public universities
Mar 2011
12% Strongly Favor
16% Somewhat Favor
21% Somewhat Oppose
46% Strongly Oppose
5% Do Not Know

More detail at:
http://media.pennlive.com/midstate_impact/other/Franklin%20&%20Marshall%20College%20State%20Poll%20Release--3-17-11.pdf

[Divernan]

1. I'm proud 70% of Pennsylvanians oppose cuts to Medicaid.

That statistic tells us that Pennsylvanians are progressive at heart. Now if we can get them to vote their hearts, and
not those candidates which the special interest-paid-for political ads brainwash them to vote for.

[blue neen]

2. I was at the beauty shop getting a haircut today when I heard someone say "Tom Corbett".

My ears perked right up. I have never, ever heard one word about politics or even current events in this place. They like to keep the conversation light, understandably so.

Well, let me tell you--these ladies are FURIOUS. Everyone who works there has children in school, and THEY DO NOT LIKE what Corbett is doing to education.

The young lady who was doing my hair also was talking to me about how the Marcellus Shale Drillers don't have to pay any taxes, and she also mentioned about how Corbett didn't make any cuts in his own staff or cut their salaries!

Governor Corbett certainly has made a name for himself, and it's not complimentary.

[old mark]

7. And he has been in office for almost 3 months...wait a while-they are just getting started...nt

[JPZenger]

3. Even most Republicans want natural gas extraction tax

I listened to the person in charge of this survey (professor Terry Madonna) be interviewed on public radio today. He said even a majority of Republicans are in favor of a natural gas extraction tax. He said that most of the states with natural gas extraction taxes are headed by Republican governors. He said Corbett is standing alone in opposing a gas tax - apparently on strict ideological grounds. He said it is a common perception that the gas tax is not happening because of campaign contributions.

The Republican controlled Senate passed a 1.5% gas tax last year, while the House passed a 10% tax, which was unrealistic. Rendell wanted 5%, but they could never agree.

[Lugnut]

5. It's ridiculous to not tax the drillers.

I don't think it's an ideological thing with Corbett. It's financial. He's been bought and paid for by the gas drillers. I'm still trying to figure out how he got elected based on the fact that he never supported taxing the gas extraction industry.

[DebJ]

4. Why do people elect Republicans if they don't want education

funding cut? The last time Maryland elected a Republican governor (Ehrlich), my first response was to be stunned. My second response was to say here come cuts to education and medical services for the poor. Didn't even take him 6 months to do that. He lost re-election. But it's just so obvious, and so consistent with Repubs, why are voters always angry after they vote them in????????

[old mark]

6. I think the republicans will do it all anyway...because they can now...nt