Among Californians of all political stripes, 58 percent believe state and local taxes are too high, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) reported February 26.
“Despite the spectrum of people and lifestyles across California, there are some issues where opinion is roughly similar everywhere,” PPIC said. “Many of these issues touch on the general role of government: its size and scope. At least a majority – but never more than two-thirds – in every place in the state believes taxes are too high (overall, 58 percent hold this opinion). More politically liberal places like San Francisco or the East Bay are the least aggrieved, but the difference is small.”
The finding was part of PPIC’s report on “California’s Political Geography.” The report does not include questions about specific taxes, nor does it speculate on how the majority’s view of the high tax burden might impact the fate of the split-roll initiative or other tax proposals.
Many issues have their own geographic patterns, the PPIC found. The report explained:
“Most Californians from coast to interior feel their taxes are too high, and Californians almost everywhere believe immigrants are a benefit to the state. Concern about the cost of housing shows sharp divides between the coast and the interior, though Californians are concerned in most parts of the state. Support for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is lukewarm in most places.”