This is the paradox of likely California voters: two-thirds say they've felt the budget cuts. And more than 70 percent oppose the trigger cuts Brown is calling for if his sales and income tax fails this November. But support for the governor's measure rests at just 52 percent. The PPIC's Mark Baldassare says some voters hurt by the cuts still don't want new taxes.
Baldassare: "People are very guarded about spending. And we're seeing at this point very weak support for things that even people consider important - but maybe not important enough to take the leap right now."
Baldassare says that's also supported by two other findings:
Slim majorities favor the $11 billion water bond on the November
ballot and oppose the state's high-speed rail project.
Meantime, both initiatives on the June ballot have broad
support from likely voters. One would tweak term limits for
state lawmakers. The other would increase the cigarette tax
to pay for cancer research. And Mitt Romney holds a slight
lead over Rick Santorum in the state's Republican presidential
primary.