Best Use of Additional Funds (June 2015)

Best Use of Additional Funds (June 2015)

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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? "
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categorycolumn-1
Cut property taxes21%
Cut business taxes3%
Save it for future needs12%
Reduce the state's debt16%
Increase funding for k-12 public education17%
Increase funding for transportation7%
Increase funding for higher education7%
Increase funding for health and human services18%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Measurement of Party ID for this figure is based on two questions. First, respondents were asked whether they consider themselves to be a Democrats, Republicans, independents, other, or not sure. Those who responded that they are independents or "other" were then asked if they lean toward either the Democrats or Republicans. If they indicated that they lean toward one party or the other, they are considered Democrats or Republicans for the purposes of this figure. Only "pure" independents or members of a third party who indicate that they have no preference for Democrats vis-a-vis Republicans are considered independents. Respondents who answered that they are "not sure" for either of the two aforementioned questions are not incorporated into this figure.
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categoryDemocratIndependentRepublican
Cut property taxes12%9%31%
Cut business taxes2%0%4%
Save it for future needs6%16%16%
Reduce the state's debt9%22%21%
Increase funding for k-12 public education27%16%9%
Increase funding for transportation6%6%7%
Increase funding for higher education11%12%3%
Increase funding for health and human services26%19%10%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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categoryLean RepublicanNot very strong RepublicanStrong Republican
Cut property taxes29%32%31%
Cut business taxes5%0%5%
Save it for future needs15%13%18%
Reduce the state's debt28%14%20%
Increase funding for k-12 public education6%14%8%
Increase funding for transportation9%7%6%
Increase funding for higher education2%6%2%
Increase funding for health and human services6%14%10%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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categoryLean DemocratNot very strong DemocratStrong Democrat
Cut property taxes14%13%9%
Cut business taxes1%2%3%
Save it for future needs6%8%5%
Reduce the state's debt5%15%7%
Increase funding for k-12 public education28%20%32%
Increase funding for transportation10%4%6%
Increase funding for higher education9%15%10%
Increase funding for health and human services26%23%28%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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categoryLiberalsModeratesConservatives
Cut property taxes8%15%30%
Cut business taxes1%1%5%
Save it for future needs5%12%14%
Reduce the state's debt7%16%21%
Increase funding for k-12 public education29%20%10%
Increase funding for transportation7%5%7%
Increase funding for higher education11%8%5%
Increase funding for health and human services32%23%8%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " The ideology measure is based on respondent self-placement in response to the following question: "On a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is extremely liberal, 7 is extremely conservative, and 4 is exactly in the middle, where would you place yourself?" The placements are further classified such that 1 is extremely liberal, 2 is very liberal, 3 is somewhat liberal, 4 is moderate, 5 is somewhat conservative, 6 is very conservative, and 7 is extremely conservative.
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categoryLeaning conservativeSomewhat conservativeExtremely conservative
Cut property taxes27%28%35%
Cut business taxes3%6%5%
Save it for future needs11%16%15%
Reduce the state's debt18%22%23%
Increase funding for k-12 public education17%9%5%
Increase funding for transportation6%8%6%
Increase funding for higher education8%4%3%
Increase funding for health and human services10%6%8%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " The ideology measure is based on respondent self-placement in response to the following question: "On a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is extremely liberal, 7 is extremely conservative, and 4 is exactly in the middle, where would you place yourself?" The placements are further classified such that 1 is extremely liberal, 2 is very liberal, 3 is somewhat liberal, 4 is moderate, 5 is somewhat conservative, 6 is very conservative, and 7 is extremely conservative.
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categoryLeaning liberalSomewhat liberalExtremely liberal
Cut property taxes12%8%4%
Cut business taxes0%1%1%
Save it for future needs3%7%2%
Reduce the state's debt9%9%2%
Increase funding for k-12 public education26%26%37%
Increase funding for transportation9%7%7%
Increase funding for higher education11%10%13%
Increase funding for health and human services29%32%34%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Tea Party identification is based on the following question, also asked in the survey: "Suppose the Tea Party movement organized itself as a political party. When thinking about the next election for Congress, would you vote for the Republican candidate from your district, the Democratic candidate from your district, or the Tea Party candidate from your district?" Those who responded "Republican candidate" are considered Republicans (non-Tea Party movement) and those who responded "Tea Party candidate" are considered Tea Party Republicans.
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categoryDemocratRepublicanTea Party
Cut property taxes10%27%33%
Cut business taxes2%4%3%
Save it for future needs6%13%20%
Reduce the state's debt8%19%25%
Increase funding for k-12 public education28%12%6%
Increase funding for transportation7%6%6%
Increase funding for higher education11%4%2%
Increase funding for health and human services28%15%5%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Race is calculated according to the race variable.
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categoryWhiteBlackHispanic
Cut property taxes23%12%20%
Cut business taxes3%2%3%
Save it for future needs13%9%11%
Reduce the state's debt20%11%12%
Increase funding for k-12 public education15%25%19%
Increase funding for transportation8%5%4%
Increase funding for higher education5%16%8%
Increase funding for health and human services14%21%23%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Gender is calculated according to the GENDER variable.
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categoryMaleFemale
Cut property taxes23%18%
Cut business taxes3%2%
Save it for future needs13%11%
Reduce the state's debt17%16%
Increase funding for k-12 public education14%20%
Increase funding for transportation8%5%
Increase funding for higher education7%7%
Increase funding for health and human services14%20%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Community is based on the following question, "Would you say that you live in an urban, suburban, or rural community?"
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categoryUrbanSuburbanRural
Cut property taxes13%26%20%
Cut business taxes3%3%2%
Save it for future needs11%12%13%
Reduce the state's debt14%14%26%
Increase funding for k-12 public education22%15%13%
Increase funding for transportation7%6%7%
Increase funding for higher education9%7%5%
Increase funding for health and human services21%16%15%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Age is calculated according to the AGEG variable.
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category18-2930-4445-6465+
Cut property taxes10%18%25%22%
Cut business taxes2%4%3%2%
Save it for future needs11%8%12%16%
Reduce the state's debt23%14%15%18%
Increase funding for k-12 public education16%26%15%12%
Increase funding for transportation8%4%6%9%
Increase funding for higher education15%7%6%5%
Increase funding for health and human services15%20%18%15%
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    Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the Texas Legislature began the 2015 legislative session with significantly more funds available compared to the 2013 legislative session. Of the following options, which do you think would have been the best use of the additional funds? " Education is calculated according to the EDUC variable.
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categoryNo high schoolHigh school graduateSome college2-year4-yearPost-grad
Cut property taxes17%25%18%20%19%22%
Cut business taxes2%1%3%4%4%5%
Save it for future needs21%14%10%10%10%12%
Reduce the state's debt24%15%20%14%18%10%
Increase funding for k-12 public education20%13%17%17%17%24%
Increase funding for transportation2%4%7%7%9%8%
Increase funding for higher education3%7%7%10%9%6%
Increase funding for health and human services10%22%18%18%14%13%

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