April 22, 2021
All eyes in the Texas Capitol today will be on the floor of the Texas House, as the chamber considers the core appropriations bill (SB1) as well as the supplemental appropriation bill (HB2) and third reading for the significant follow-up bill to last session’s major education reform (HB1525, on which there are more than 20 prefiled amendments). The February 2021 University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll included a large array of questions on government spending and policy priorities. We’ve gathered them all in one place for reference as the House considers the bills and particularly the over 200 pre-filed amendments on SB1.
The goal of the large battery on spending in our early session poll is to check in on Texans’ attitudes toward state spending in broad issue areas. It doesn’t assume the existence of specific spending proposals nor of well-informed or developed attitudes on the part of the respondents. Rather, these items provide something of a heat check on Texans’ dispositions toward areas of public policy that are contenders for finite resources in the process.
Spending priorities, overall and by party, race
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| Item | Don't know/No opinion | Too much | About the right amount | Too little |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental health services | 15% | 5% | 22% | 59% |
| K-12 public education | 10% | 13% | 26% | 50% |
| Health coverage for the uninsured | 14% | 15% | 22% | 49% |
| Response to the coronavirus pandemic | 12% | 12% | 32% | 45% |
| Environmental protection | 13% | 16% | 28% | 42% |
| Border security | 13% | 26% | 22% | 39% |
| Transportation | 17% | 9% | 39% | 35% |
| Higher education (i.e. colleges and universities) | 15% | 25% | 31% | 28% |
| Prisons and the penal system | 19% | 32% | 32% | 17% |
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| Item | Don't know/No opinion | Too much | About the right amount | Too little |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border security | 9% | 9% | 21% | 61% |
| Mental health services | 18% | 6% | 32% | 44% |
| K-12 public education | 9% | 21% | 39% | 31% |
| Transportation | 15% | 11% | 49% | 25% |
| Health coverage for the uninsured | 18% | 24% | 35% | 23% |
| Response to the coronavirus pandemic | 11% | 18% | 51% | 20% |
| Environmental protection | 15% | 28% | 41% | 17% |
| Prisons and the penal system | 19% | 25% | 42% | 14% |
| Higher education (i.e. colleges and universities) | 12% | 40% | 35% | 13% |
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| Item | Don't know/No opinion | Too much | About the right amount | Too little |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health coverage for the uninsured | 8% | 4% | 9% | 79% |
| Mental health services | 7% | 3% | 11% | 79% |
| K-12 public education | 8% | 2% | 13% | 76% |
| Response to the coronavirus pandemic | 10% | 3% | 12% | 75% |
| Environmental protection | 9% | 3% | 14% | 74% |
| Higher education (i.e. colleges and universities) | 16% | 9% | 28% | 47% |
| Transportation | 18% | 6% | 29% | 47% |
| Prisons and the penal system | 18% | 39% | 22% | 21% |
| Border security | 14% | 48% | 25% | 13% |
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| Item | Don't know/No opinion | Too much | About the right amount | Too little |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health coverage for the uninsured | 15% | 8% | 16% | 60% |
| Mental health services | 17% | 3% | 23% | 57% |
| K-12 public education | 12% | 9% | 23% | 55% |
| Response to the coronavirus pandemic | 13% | 9% | 23% | 55% |
| Environmental protection | 15% | 10% | 28% | 46% |
| Higher education (i.e. colleges and universities) | 16% | 17% | 34% | 34% |
| Border security | 15% | 30% | 26% | 30% |
| Transportation | 22% | 8% | 41% | 29% |
| Prisons and the penal system | 24% | 23% | 34% | 19% |
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| Item | Don't know/No opinion | Too much | About the right amount | Too little |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental health services | 11% | 3% | 17% | 68% |
| K-12 public education | 11% | 1% | 22% | 66% |
| Health coverage for the uninsured | 14% | 8% | 17% | 61% |
| Response to the coronavirus pandemic | 13% | 13% | 18% | 56% |
| Environmental protection | 15% | 10% | 23% | 52% |
| Higher education (i.e. colleges and universities) | 18% | 4% | 28% | 50% |
| Transportation | 21% | 7% | 28% | 45% |
| Border security | 17% | 28% | 28% | 27% |
| Prisons and the penal system | 18% | 28% | 27% | 27% |
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| Item | Don't know/No opinion | Too much | About the right amount | Too little |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental health services | 15% | 6% | 22% | 57% |
| Border security | 11% | 23% | 20% | 46% |
| K-12 public education | 9% | 17% | 28% | 45% |
| Health coverage for the uninsured | 14% | 19% | 26% | 41% |
| Response to the coronavirus pandemic | 12% | 12% | 39% | 38% |
| Environmental protection | 13% | 19% | 30% | 38% |
| Transportation | 15% | 10% | 42% | 34% |
| Higher education (i.e. colleges and universities) | 15% | 33% | 31% | 21% |
| Prisons and the penal system | 16% | 36% | 33% | 15% |
Spending attitudes on specific policy areas
Healthcare coverage for the uninsured
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Too much | 15% |
| About the right amount | 22% |
| Too little | 49% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 14% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 4% | 15% | 24% |
| About the right amount | 9% | 18% | 35% |
| Too little | 79% | 45% | 23% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 8% | 22% | 18% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 19% | 8% | 8% |
| About the right amount | 26% | 17% | 16% |
| Too little | 41% | 61% | 60% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 14% | 14% | 15% |
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Too much | 13% |
| About the right amount | 26% |
| Too little | 50% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 10% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 2% | 17% | 21% |
| About the right amount | 13% | 22% | 39% |
| Too little | 76% | 41% | 31% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 8% | 20% | 9% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 17% | 1% | 9% |
| About the right amount | 28% | 22% | 23% |
| Too little | 45% | 66% | 55% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 9% | 11% | 12% |
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| Category | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Too much | 17% | 9% |
| About the right amount | 27% | 26% |
| Too little | 46% | 54% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 10% | 10% |
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Too much | 25% |
| About the right amount | 31% |
| Too little | 28% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 15% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 9% | 24% | 40% |
| About the right amount | 28% | 29% | 35% |
| Too little | 47% | 23% | 13% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 16% | 25% | 12% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 33% | 4% | 17% |
| About the right amount | 31% | 28% | 34% |
| Too little | 21% | 50% | 34% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 15% | 18% | 16% |
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| Category | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Too much | 32% | 20% |
| About the right amount | 26% | 35% |
| Too little | 29% | 28% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 13% | 17% |
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Too much | 16% |
| About the right amount | 28% |
| Too little | 42% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 13% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 3% | 16% | 28% |
| About the right amount | 14% | 28% | 41% |
| Too little | 74% | 35% | 17% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 9% | 21% | 15% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 19% | 10% | 10% |
| About the right amount | 30% | 23% | 28% |
| Too little | 38% | 52% | 46% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 13% | 15% | 15% |
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| Category | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Too much | 22% | 12% |
| About the right amount | 29% | 27% |
| Too little | 36% | 48% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 13% | 13% |
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| Category | Urban | Suburban | Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 13% | 17% | 21% |
| About the right amount | 27% | 28% | 30% |
| Too little | 46% | 43% | 31% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 14% | 12% | 17% |
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Too much | 9% |
| About the right amount | 39% |
| Too little | 35% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 17% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 6% | 9% | 11% |
| About the right amount | 29% | 35% | 49% |
| Too little | 47% | 31% | 25% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 18% | 24% | 15% |
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| Category | Urban | Suburban | Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 8% | 9% | 10% |
| About the right amount | 32% | 40% | 49% |
| Too little | 42% | 35% | 21% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 18% | 16% | 20% |
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| Category | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Too much | 11% | 7% |
| About the right amount | 36% | 42% |
| Too little | 40% | 30% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 14% | 20% |
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Too much | 32% |
| About the right amount | 32% |
| Too little | 17% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 19% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 39% | 35% | 25% |
| About the right amount | 22% | 30% | 42% |
| Too little | 21% | 12% | 14% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 18% | 23% | 19% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too much | 36% | 28% | 23% |
| About the right amount | 33% | 27% | 34% |
| Too little | 15% | 27% | 19% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 16% | 18% | 24% |
Recovery from the coronavirus pandemic
Who is it most important for Texas state government to help?
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Cities and local governments | 5% |
| Colleges and universities | 1% |
| Healthcare providers like doctors and hospitals | 12% |
| Individuals & families | 44% |
| K-12 public schools | 7% |
| Large businesses/employers | 2% |
| None of these | 4% |
| Small businesses/employers | 25% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cities and local governments | 6% | 0% | 5% |
| Colleges and universities | 1% | 0% | 1% |
| Healthcare providers like doctors and hospitals | 15% | 7% | 11% |
| Individuals & families | 57% | 50% | 31% |
| K-12 public schools | 8% | 5% | 6% |
| Large businesses/employers | 2% | 0% | 2% |
| None of these | 1% | 16% | 3% |
| Small businesses/employers | 9% | 20% | 40% |
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| Category | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Cities and local governments | 7% | 3% |
| Colleges and universities | 1% | 1% |
| Healthcare providers like doctors and hospitals | 12% | 13% |
| Individuals & families | 40% | 48% |
| K-12 public schools | 5% | 8% |
| Large businesses/employers | 3% | 1% |
| None of these | 6% | 2% |
| Small businesses/employers | 27% | 23% |
Helping individuals and families affected by the pandemic
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Extremely important | 55% |
| Very important | 33% |
| Not very important | 6% |
| Not at all important | 2% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 4% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 68% | 54% | 44% |
| Very important | 27% | 31% | 38% |
| Not very important | 2% | 4% | 10% |
| Not at all important | 1% | 2% | 4% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 3% | 10% | 4% |
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| Category | No HS | High school graduate | Some college | 2-year | 4-year | Post-grad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 39% | 41% | 40% | 54% | 38% | 43% |
| Very important | 45% | 42% | 37% | 26% | 37% | 36% |
| Not very important | 3% | 7% | 10% | 16% | 12% | 8% |
| Not at all important | 0% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 9% | 13% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 12% | 3% | 7% | 0% | 4% | 1% |
Help small businesses recover from the pandemic
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Extremely important | 50% |
| Very important | 39% |
| Not very important | 6% |
| Not at all important | 2% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 3% |
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Extremely important | 50% |
| Very important | 39% |
| Not very important | 6% |
| Not at all important | 2% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 3% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 49% | 46% | 56% |
| Very important | 41% | 36% | 34% |
| Not very important | 6% | 12% | 3% |
| Not at all important | 2% | 3% | 1% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 2% | 3% | 6% |
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Extremely important | 12% |
| Very important | 21% |
| Not very important | 37% |
| Not at all important | 24% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 6% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 14% | 11% | 11% |
| Very important | 20% | 13% | 24% |
| Not very important | 41% | 30% | 36% |
| Not at all important | 21% | 35% | 23% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 4% | 11% | 5% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 8% | 22% | 19% |
| Very important | 21% | 30% | 20% |
| Not very important | 41% | 27% | 33% |
| Not at all important | 27% | 16% | 19% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 5% | 5% | 8% |
​Healthcare providers (doctors and hospitals)
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| category | Total |
|---|---|
| Extremely important | 45% |
| Very important | 34% |
| Not very important | 10% |
| Not at all important | 7% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 3% |
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| Category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 60% | 30% | 37% |
| Very important | 31% | 32% | 37% |
| Not very important | 6% | 12% | 14% |
| Not at all important | 1% | 15% | 9% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 2% | 10% | 2% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 40% | 63% | 51% |
| Very important | 37% | 29% | 28% |
| Not very important | 12% | 4% | 10% |
| Not at all important | 9% | 1% | 5% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 3% | 3% | 6% |
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| Category | Urban | Suburban | Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 56% | 39% | 44% |
| Very important | 30% | 37% | 35% |
| Not very important | 7% | 13% | 9% |
| Not at all important | 4% | 8% | 8% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 3% | 4% | 4% |
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| Category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely important | 40% | 63% | 51% |
| Very important | 37% | 29% | 28% |
| Not very important | 12% | 4% | 10% |
| Not at all important | 9% | 1% | 5% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 3% | 3% | 6% |