California Prop 6, Prop 8: Exclusive SurveyUSA poll looks at fate of ballot measures
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An exclusive Eyewitness News/Survey USA poll looked at the fate of California's Proposition 6 and Proposition 8.
Support for California's Proposition 6, known as the gas tax repeal, depends on how voters interpret the language on the ballot, the poll found.
2018 VOTER GUIDE: A look at all the California propositions
In the poll, 1,200 likely California voters were queried. The results show that overall, 48 percent support repealing the gas tax, 41 percent want the gas tax to stay in place and 11 percent are undecided.
The survey found that the percentage numbers differed depending on how the question regarding Prop 6 was worded.
MORE: Gas tax repeal's proponents to hold free gas card giveaway Monday
One question on Prop 6 was posed as the following and resulted in the following results.
Proposition 6 is a constitutional amendment that would repeal gasoline and diesel taxes and vehicle fees that were first enacted in 2017 and would require that any future fuel taxes be approved by voters. A YES vote on Prop 6 would repeal fuel tax increases that were enacted in 2017, including the Road Repaid and Accountability Act of 2017. A NO vote on Prop 6 would keep the fuel taxes imposed in 2017 by the California legislature in place, and would allow the legislature to impose whatever fees and taxes it approved in the future, provided 2/3 of the CA House and 2/3 of the CA Senate approved. On Proposition 6, how do you vote?
52% Yes On 6
40% No On 6
8% Undecided On 6
Another question on Prop 6 was posed as the following, and resulted in the following results.
Proposition 6 is called the "Eliminates Certain Road Repair and Transportation Funding. Requires Certain Fuel Taxes and Vehicle Fees be Approved by the Electorate. Initiative Constitutional Amendment." It repeals a 2017 transportation law's taxes and fees designated for road repairs and public transportation. The fiscal impact is reduced ongoing revenues of $5.1 billion from state fuel and vehicle taxes that mainly would have paid for highway and road maintenance and repairs, as well as transit programs. On Proposition 6, how do you vote?
44% Yes On 6
41% No On 6
14% Undecided On 6
The combined results were:
48% Yes On 6
41% No On 6
11% Undecided On 6
This is what is printed on California's sample ballot regarding Prop 6:
6: Eliminates certain road repair and transportation funding. Requires certain fuel taxes and vehicle fees be approved by the electorate. Initiate constitutional amendment. Repeals a 2017 transportation law's taxes and fees designed for road repairs and public transportation. Fiscal impact: Reduced ongoing revenues of $5.1 billion from state fuel and vehicle taxes that mainly would have paid for highway and road maintenance and repairs, as well as transit programs.
The numbers for Proposition 8, which limits the profits a dialysis clinic can make, is even closer.
The poll found that 46 percent of those polled say they'll vote "no" on Prop 8, 42 percent say they'll vote "yes" and 12 percent were undecided.
The margin of error for both queries is 4.8 percentage points.
For this poll, SurveyUSA interviewed 1,200 state of California adults Nov. 1, 2018 through Nov. 2, 2018. Of the adults, 1,055 are registered to vote. Of the registered voters, SurveyUSA identified 924 who have returned a ballot on the Governor's contest or who promise to do so before the 11/06/18 deadline; 806 who have returned a ballot on the U.S. Senate contest or who promise to do so before the 11/06/18 deadline (because there are 2 Democrats on the ballot for U.S. Senate and no Republicans, a number of Republican respondents told SurveyUSA they would not cast a ballot in this particular contest); and 913 who have already returned a ballot on the citizen initiatives or who promise to do so before the 11/06/18 deadline. Of the 913 ballot measure voters, 445 were randomly assigned to split-sample version A of the questionnaire (Question #3), 468 were randomly assigned to split-sample version B of the questionnaire (Question #4). This research was conducted online.
Here is the full list and the results of each question:
1. In the election for Governor, do you vote for ...?
38% John Cox (R)
53% Gavin Newsom (D)
9% Undecided
2. In the election for United States Senator, do you vote for ...?
36% Kevin De Leon (D)
50% Dianne Feinstein (D)
14% Undecided
3. OK, now let's switch to some of the ballot measures. Proposition 6 is a constitutional amendment that would repeal gasoline and diesel taxes and vehicle fees that were first enacted in 2017 and would require that any future fuel taxes be approved by voters. A YES vote on Prop 6 would repeal fuel tax increases that were enacted in 2017, including the Road Repaid and Accountability Act of 2017. A NO vote on Prop 6 would keep the fuel taxes imposed in 2017 by the California legislature in place, and would allow the legislature to impose whatever fees and taxes it approved in the future, provided 2/3 of the CA House and 2/3 of the CA Senate approved. On Proposition 6, how do you vote?
52% Yes On 6
40% No On 6
8% Undecided On 6
4. Next, we have a few questions to ask you about some of the propositions on the November ballot. Proposition 6 is called the "Eliminates Certain Road Repair and Transportation Funding. Requires Certain Fuel Taxes and Vehicle Fees be Approved by the Electorate. Initiative Constitutional Amendment." It repeals a 2017 transportation law's taxes and fees designated for road repairs and public transportation. The fiscal impact is reduced ongoing revenues of $5.1 billion from state fuel and vehicle taxes that mainly would have paid for highway and road maintenance and repairs, as well as transit programs. On Proposition 6, how do you vote?
44% Yes On 6
41% No On 6
14% Undecided On 6
5. (Imputed; combined results of the two split sample versions of Proposition 6)
48% Yes On 6
41% No On 6
11% Undecided On 6
6. Next ... Proposition 8 would place limits on how much profit Kidney Dialysis Clinics in California are allowed to keep. A YES vote on Prop 8 means that a kidney dialysis clinic in California will be limited to making 15 percent profit. Any profit that a clinic makes in excess of 15 percent, must be returned to the individuals who paid for the dialysis, or to the insurance companies who paid for the dialysis. A NO vote on Prop 8 would keep the current system, which means that California's dialysis clinics may make as much profit as they wish. Based on this description, if you were filling out your ballot right now, would you vote ...
42% YES On Prop 8
46% NO On Prop 8
12% Undecided
7. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Jerry Brown is doing as Governor?
47% Approve
40% Disapprove
13% Not Sure
8. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Donald Trump is doing as President?
37% Approve
58% Disapprove
6% Not Sure
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