| The Field Poll released their survey on the infrastructure bonds propositions. With the exception of the affordable housing bond, the Yes's lead No's for all of the bonds. However, only the Transportation Package (1B) currently has more than 50%. So, in theory it's touch and go on all of the propositions. It's rather funny that Arnold can't get his own party behind these
Of course, the housing bond package was really more of a Dem proposition, and Arnold included it to encourage Democratic participation. But to be truthful the man primarily responsible for the bonds is not Schwarzenegger, it's Don Perata, who proposed a very similar bond package a year before Arnold. I guess Arnold's bully pulpit was just a lot bigger than Perata's.
One thing that should also be pointed out here is the complete reluctance of Republicans in the state to spend money on anything. They favor the transportation bonds, but that's within the margin, and that benefits Republican voters immensely. Other than that, GOP voters are against all of the bonds. A majority of the roads that would get built would be within "red" areas of the state because of the tremendous growth in regions like the Central Valley. The infrastucture of cities like Fresno and Bakersfield is just not even close to being acceptable for cities of their respective sizes. Yet the average GOP voter refuses to pay.
I'm not really sure what the Republicans want. They don't want to finance debt to pay for infrastructure and they don't want to raise taxes to pay for it, yet they have no problems wailing on the state government for the way it throws around money. No, I think what this poll shows is the absolute intractability of the GOP. They want it all, but want to not pay for it. Listen, if that's the way it worked, we'd all be running around throwing away gold and platinum like garbage. But we're not, are we? The bills have to be paid somehow, and the GOP needs to figure out the rules of basic finance. You pay for what you get, and righ now, it looks like what the GOP wants is some sort of third world infrastructure. (I know, I know, I'm not supposed to use "third world" anymore...)
On the flip you will see (shortly) the beginnings of a Poll HQ for the Bond Package Props. |
