(WXYZ) – An exclusive new WXYZ-TV, Detroit News, EPIC-MRA poll shows that a large majority of people in Michigan say the state’s $1.7 billion budget deficit has created a crisis situation in our state.
READ POLL RESULTS BELOW AND WATCH STEPHEN CLARK'S REPORT IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ON THE RIGHTThe poll was conducted from June 23 to June 28. It has a sample of 600 people and an error rate of plus or minus 4%. It found that 76% of people say the state is in crisis. However, when asked what should be cut people are pretty much split on the issues. The biggest result we received was from 37% of people who say cuts could be made in the state legislature. After that the answers place all of the other options in the single percentages.
As for things that should not be cut, 22% of people say local public schools should not be touched. After that, 14% say police and fire funding shouldn’t be cut and 12% say the state police funding should be left alone.
When asked how much the budget in certain areas should be cut, must people say it shouldn’t be cut at all. However, many people say they are willing to cut the budgets a little bit, with funding for substance abuse programs being their top choice. However, only 28% call for a small cut in that budget.
READ THE COMPLETE RESULTS BELOW:As you may know, Governor Granholm and the Michigan Legislature are currently making budget cuts to balance the state budget and eliminate a $1.7 billion budget deficit. Here is a list of several specific programs and services that are funded by state government in the state budget. For each one, respondants were asked if that program or service can be Eliminated, Cut A Lot, Cut Somewhat, Cut A Little, or Not Cut At All.
Funding for highways, roads and bridges
Eliminate – 1%
Cut a lot – 2%
Cut somewhat – 16%
Cut a little – 25%
Not Cut at all – 55%
Undecided – 1%
Per-pupil funding for local public schools
Eliminate – 1%
Cut a lot – 4%
Cut somewhat – 9%
Cut a little – 19%
Not Cut at all – 65%
Undecided – 2%
Funding economic development programs
Eliminate – 5%
Cut a lot – 8%
Cut somewhat – 20%
Cut a little – 23%
Not Cut at all – 34%
Undecided – 10%
Grants and air to community colleges
Eliminate – 3%
Cut a lot – 9%
Cut somewhat – 18%
Cut a little – 26%
Not Cut at all – 30%
Undecided – 4%
Funding for prisons and other corrections programs
Eliminate – 2%
Cut a lot – 17%
Cut somewhat – 21%
Cut a little – 26%
Not Cut at all – 30%
Undecided – 4%
Pay and benefits to retain state workers
Eliminate – 4%
Cut a lot – 16%
Cut somewhat – 25%
Cut a little – 24%
Not Cut at all – 26%
Undecided – 5%
Funding Medicaid health service for children, disabled and low income people
Eliminate – 1%
Cut a lot – 5%
Cut somewhat – 10%
Cut a little – 14%
Not Cut at all – 67%
Undecided – 2%
Funding for state four-year colleges and universities
Eliminate – 4%
Cut a lot – 9%
Cut somewhat – 23%
Cut a little – 27%
Not Cut at all – 35%
Undecided – 2%
Funding public health programs
Eliminate – 2%
Cut a lot – 9%
Cut somewhat – 12%
Cut a little – 24%
Not Cut at all – 50%
Undecided – 3%
Funding programs to reduce substance abuse, including both alcohol and drug abuse
Eliminate – 9%
Cut a lot – 14%
Cut somewhat – 21%
Cut a little – 28%
Not Cut at all – 25%
Undecided – 3%
Revenue sharing for local government to fund police, fire and other local service
Eliminate – 1%
Cut a lot – 5%
Cut somewhat – 10%
Cut a little – 21%
Not Cut at all – 60%
Undecided – 3%
Funding for job training programs
Eliminate – 3%
Cut a lot – 7%
Cut somewhat – 15%
Cut a little – 26%
Not Cut at all – 47%
Undecided – 2%
Funding for scholarship programs, such as the Merit Scholarship, to attend college
Eliminate – 5%
Cut a lot – 5%
Cut somewhat – 15%
Cut a little – 26%
Not Cut at all – 47%
Undecided -2%
Funding mental health programs
Eliminate – 1%
Cut a lot – 6%
Cut somewhat – 14%
Cut a little – 22%
Not Cut at all – 54%
Undecided – 3%
Funding for state police
Eliminate – 1%
Cut a lot – 2%
Cut somewhat – 10%
Cut a little – 17%
Not Cut at all – 69%
Undecided – 1%
Funding for the state legislature
Eliminate – 9%
Cut a lot – 45%
Cut somewhat – 23%
Cut a little – 13%
Not Cut at all – 8%
Undecided – 2%
Funding for environmental protection
Eliminate – 5%
Cut a lot – 14%
Cut somewhat – 20%
Cut a little – 25%
Not Cut at all – 34%
Undecided – 2%
Thinking about the list of program and service areas above, which one or two areas should be protected the most from state budget cuts?
22% Local public schools
14% Police & Fire
12% State Police
9% Health Care
9% Medicaid
6% Roads & Bridges
4% Economic Development
4% Mental Health
3% Environment
3% Job Training
2% Universities
1% Community Colleges
1% Medicare
1% Scholarship Program
1% State Workers
1% Substance Abuse Program
4% Others Not Covered Above
3% Undecided
Thinking about the same list of programs and services, which one or two areas should be cut first to balance the state budget?
37% State Legislature
8% Environment
8% Prisons
6% State Workers
6% Substance Abuse Programs
4% Universities
3% Roads & Bridges
2% Economic Development
2% Health Care
2% Mental Health
2% Scholarship programs
2% State Police
1% Community Colleges
1% Job Training
1% Local Public Schools
1% Medicaid
1% Police & Fire
2% Others not covered above
11% Undecided
Based on what you know or have heard or read about the state budget cuts that have been made over the past couple of years, to what extent have you and your family felt the impact of state budget cuts that have been made in programs and services? Have you and your family felt the impact of state budget cuts a lot, some, only a little or not really at all?
10% A Lot
16% Some
14% Only A Little
58% Not really At All
2% Undecided
How have you or your family felt the impact of state budget cuts?
17% Education Costs/Cuts
15% Road Disrepair
12% Rising Costs
10% Unemployment
8% Layoffs
7% Tax Increases
5% Health Care Costs
5% Retirement Benefits
4% Police Cuts
3% Public Service Cuts
1% Everywhere
1% Medicaid Cuts
1% Pay Cut
1% Snow Removal
3% Reasons Not Included Above
7% Undecided
Michigan has a budget deficit for the current fiscal year of at least $1.7 billion. Do you consider Michigan’s current state budget deficit to be in a crisis situation, or, would you say that Michigan’s budget situation is not that bad yet?
76% Yes, it is in a crisis situation
20% No, it is not that bad yet
4% Undecided
